▎非…不可, (fēi...bùkĕ), it is imperative that

 

Function With this pattern, the speaker indicates that something must be done. There are no alternatives.

1 哥哥已經兩年沒回國了。媽媽說今年除夕他非回來跟家人團聚不可。

Gēge yǐjīng liǎng nián méi huíguó le. Māma shuō jīnnián chúxì tā fēi huílái gēn jiārén tuánjù bùkě.

My big brother hasn’t been back from abroad in two years. My mom says this year, he absolutely must come back and get together with the family on Chinese New Year’s Eve.

2 想要找到好工作，非充實自己的專業能力不可。

Xiǎng yào zhǎodào hǎo gōngzuò, fēi chōngshí zìjǐ de zhuānyè nénglì bùkě.

If you want to get a good job, it is absolutely imperative that you hone your professional skills.

3 台北這麼潮濕，我的鞋子都發霉了，非買除濕機不可。

Táiběi zhème cháoshī, wǒ de xiézi dōu fāméi le, fēi mǎi chúshījī bùkě.

Taipei is so humid; my shoes have grown mildew. I really have to buy a dehumidifier.

4 最近發生很多不好的事情，我非去廟裡拜拜不可。

Zuìjìn fāshēng hěn duō bù hǎo de shìqíng, wǒ fēi qù miào lǐ bàibài bùkě.

A lot of bad things have happened lately. I have to go to the temple and worship.

5 沒想到這份英文合約這麼複雜，公司非找人翻譯成中文不可。

Méi xiǎngdào zhè fèn Yīngwén héyuē zhème fùzá, gōngsī fēi zhǎo rén fānyì chéng Zhōngwén bùkě.

I had no idea that this English contract was so complicated. The company has to find somebody to translate it into Chinese.

 

Usage Both 非 and 可 in this pattern are literary/formal in style. They are from classical Chinese originally.