What Does 不至于 (bù zhì yú) Mean in Chinese?
Traditional: 不至於Enhanced context lessonCommon
It’s not that serious / It won’t go that far
Quick answer: 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.
What Chinese people actually mean
“不至于吧” can reassure someone, but it can also challenge their reaction. How close you are to the person matters.
Literal meaning
Literally, not to that extent.
When not to use it
Avoid it when someone needs their concern acknowledged; without context it can sound dismissive.
Common mistakes
- It says a reaction or outcome has not reached the stated degree.
Chinese characters
Open each character to see its own meanings and vocabulary links.
Real conversations
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.
When to use it
✓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.
Sources and editorial note
Base dictionary data: CC-CEDICT · CC BY-SA 4.0.Context lesson: Original Chinese Meaning context lesson; examples written for this site.