Chinese grammar › HSK 5
Otherwise with 否则 — Chinese grammar (HSK 5)
Advice / Condition，否则 + Bad result
否则 (fǒuzé) means "otherwise / or else" and introduces what will happen if the first clause is not followed. It usually starts the second clause and is a little more formal than 要不然. The first clause is typically a command, a necessity or a condition.
Examples
| 快走吧，否则就要迟到了。 Kuài zǒu ba, fǒuzé jiù yào chídào le. | Hurry up, otherwise we will be late. | |
| 你必须按时吃药，否则感冒不会好。 Nǐ bìxū ànshí chī yào, fǒuzé gǎnmào bù huì hǎo. | You must take your medicine on time, or your cold will not get better. | |
| 除非你亲自去，否则他不会同意。 Chúfēi nǐ qīnzì qù, fǒuzé tā bù huì tóngyì. | Unless you go in person, he will not agree. |