不至于
Traditional: 不至於Everyday phraseCommon
It’s not that serious / It won’t go that far
What does 不至于 mean?
不至于 — Pushes back against an extreme conclusion or reaction. It says the situation does not warrant going to that extent.
✓It’s not that bad.
✓That would be going too far.
✓It probably won’t come to that.
“不至于吧” can reassure someone, but it can also challenge their reaction. How close you are to the person matters.
Character breakdown
Open each character to see its own meanings and vocabulary links.
Real-world examples
1 · Reassuring a friend
A: 这次没考好，我完了。
zhè cì méi kǎo hǎo, wǒ wán le.
A: I did badly on this exam. I’m finished.
B: 不至于，还有机会。
bù zhì yú, hái yǒu jīhuì.
B: It’s not that bad; you still have chances.
2 · Questioning an overreaction
A: 他迟到了五分钟，我不想见他了。
tā chídào le wǔ fēnzhōng, wǒ bù xiǎng jiàn tā le.
A: He was five minutes late; I don’t want to see him.
B: 不至于吧？
bù zhì yú ba?
B: Isn’t that a bit much?
How to pronounce 不至于
不至于
Tap to hear Mandarin.
Usage notes
✓It responds to a feared consequence or a strong reaction.
✓Adding 吧 can make it softer, though still disagreeing.
✓It is not a general substitute for 没关系.
Base dictionary data: CC-CEDICT · CC BY-SA 4.0.
Context lesson: Original Chinese Meaning context lesson; examples written for this site.
Context lesson: Original Chinese Meaning context lesson; examples written for this site.