不见得
HSK 4- Modal verbs
Structure (结构 jiégòu)
Meaning (意思 yìsi)
The adverb 不见得 is used to express uncertain conjecture, carrying the meaning "not necessarily, not sure that."
Explanation (解释 jiěshì)
不见得 is an adverb used to express doubt or partial disagreement with an opinion. It means "not necessarily" or "not really/not exactly".
Using 不见得 makes your statement softer than directly negating with 不是 (is not) or 不对 (incorrect). It conveys a supposition or possibility rather than a definite fact.
Examples (例句 lìjù)(5)
- 贵的东西不见得好。繁: 貴的東西不見得好。Guì de dōngxi bújiànde hǎo.
Expensive things are not necessarily good.
- 他说的话不见得对。繁: 他說的話不見得對。Tā shuō de huà bújiànde duì.
What he said is not necessarily correct.
- 他很聪明，但不见得能解决这个问题。繁: 他很聰明，但不見得能解決這個問題。Tā hěn cōngmíng, dàn bújiànde néng jiějué zhège wèntí.
He is very intelligent, but it doesn't necessarily mean he can solve this problem.
- 有名的人不见得都快乐。繁: 有名的人不見得都快樂。Yǒumíng de rén bújiànde dōu kuàilè.
Famous people are not necessarily all happy.
- 我看他不见得会来。繁: 我看他不見得會來。Wǒ kàn tā bújiànde huì lái.
I don't think he will necessarily come.
Common mistakes
- Wrong:这个办法好不见得。Correct:这个办法不见得好。
不见得 is an adverb that must precede the adjective (好) it modifies and cannot stand at the end of a sentence.
- Wrong:他不见得是老师。Correct:他不是老师。
Use 不是 when negating a known fact. 不见得 is only used for speculation and expressing uncertainty.