B1 noun Neutral 1 min read

必不可少的

bubukeshao de /pì pù kʰɤ ʂàʊ tɤ/
Practice it

It describes an absolute necessity without which a system or goal would fail.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • Indispensable or essential for a specific purpose or function.
  • Emphasizes that something cannot be omitted or replaced.
  • Commonly used in professional, academic, and daily life contexts.

Overview

  1. 1概述：‘必不可少的’是一个非常高频的形容词性短语，其核心含义是‘绝对不能缺少’。它由‘必’（一定）、‘不可’（不能）和‘缺少’组成，通过双重否定（不、少）来表达强烈的肯定语气。在语义程度上，它比‘重要’或‘必要’更进一步，强调的是‘缺位即失效’的逻辑关系。
  1. 1用法模式：最常见的结构是‘A 是 B 必不可少的 [名词]’。例如：‘沟通是团队合作中必不可少的环节。’ 此外，它也可以直接作为谓语，放在‘是’后面，或者用作定语修饰名词。需要注意的是，末尾的‘的’字在修饰名词时通常不能省略。
  1. 1常见语境：该词语的应用范围极广。在职场中，常用于描述某种技能（如：英语是外企工作中必不可少的技能）；在科学与健康领域，用于描述生存条件（如：阳光是植物生长必不可少的）；在日常生活中，用于描述必需品（如：手机已成为现代生活必不可少的工具）。
  1. 1近义词比较：与‘必要’相比，‘必不可少的’语气更重，强调不可替代性；与‘不可或缺’相比，‘不可或缺’更具书面语色彩（成语化），而‘必不可少的’在口语和书面语中都非常通用。与‘至关重要’相比，后者侧重于影响力大，而前者侧重于存在的重要性。

Examples

1

氧气是人类生存必不可少的。

everyday

Oxygen is indispensable for human survival.

2

在申请过程中，有效的护照是必不可少的。

formal

A valid passport is essential during the application process.

3

你是我生命中必不可少的人。

informal

You are an indispensable person in my life.

4

实证研究是社会科学中必不可少的环节。

academic

Empirical research is an essential part of social sciences.

Common Collocations

必不可少的一部分 An indispensable part
必不可少的条件 An essential condition
必不可少的环节 A vital link/step

Common Phrases

必不可少的一员

An indispensable member

必不可少的因素

An essential factor

Often Confused With

必不可少的 vs 必要

Necessary. '必要' is more general, while '必不可少的' emphasizes that the thing cannot be missing at all.

必不可少的 vs 必须

Must. '必须' is an adverb used before verbs, whereas '必不可少的' is an adjective used to describe nouns.

Grammar Patterns

A 是 B 必不可少的 [名词] 对 ... 来说是必不可少的 成为 ... 必不可少的一环

How to Use It

Usage Notes

The phrase is neutral but leans towards formal. It is very common in business writing, academic papers, and journalism to emphasize the importance of a factor. In spoken Chinese, it is used when the speaker wants to sound more precise or emphatic.

Common Mistakes

A common error is forgetting the 'de' (的) when it precedes a noun. Another mistake is using it to describe something that is merely 'good to have' rather than 'must have'.

Tips

💡

Using with the Particle 'De'

Always include 'de' (的) when using this phrase to modify a noun, such as in 'indispensable part'.

⚠️

Avoid Redundancy with 'Must'

Do not use 'must' (必须) and 'indispensable' (必不可少的) together in a way that repeats the same meaning.

🌍

Emphasis on Completeness

In Chinese culture, this phrase reflects the importance of every component in maintaining a harmonious whole.

Word Origin

A combination of '必' (certainly/must) and the phrase '不可缺少' (cannot be missing), forming a standard modern Chinese adjectival phrase.

Cultural Context

In China, emphasizing that something is 'essential' often highlights the interconnectedness of things, where every part is vital for the harmony of the whole system.

Memory Tip

Think of it as the '4-character rule of survival': Bi (Must) + Bu Ke (Cannot) + Shao (Lack). If you can't lack it, it's indispensable!

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

‘必要’表示需要这样做，但不一定强调它是整体中不可分割的一部分；‘必不可少的’程度更深，强调如果缺少了它，整体就无法完整或运作。

可以。例如‘他是我们团队中必不可少的一员’，表示他在团队中发挥着至关重要、无人能替代的作用。

作为定语修饰名词时，‘的’通常必须保留，以维持短语的完整性和节奏感。

它不是传统意义上的四字成语，而是一个由固定词组构成的形容词性短语，但在使用习惯上非常固定。

Test Yourself

fill blank

水是维持生命___的物质。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: a

生命离不开水，水是绝对必要的，因此选择‘必不可少的’。

multiple choice

选择最合适的选项：

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: b

‘必不可少的’通常修饰抽象或具体的必要条件、部分或成员。b项符合逻辑。

sentence building

是 / 必不可少的 / 互联网 / 一部分 / 生活 / 现代

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: a

标准的‘A是B必不可少的一部分’结构。

Score: /3

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