How to use 千万
千万 + 要 / 别 / 不要 / 不能 + Verb Phrase
千万 adds strong insistence to an instruction. It is especially common in warnings telling someone to avoid an action, but it can also urge them to make certain they do something. The speaker treats compliance as particularly important. The word functions as an adverb here, rather than as the large number its characters can also represent.
Place 千万 before a modal or negative instruction such as 要, 别, 不要, or 不能, followed by the relevant action. A preceding clause can explain why care is needed. The force may be protective, anxious, or urgent depending on context. Do not assume it always sounds angry; its central contribution is emphasizing the importance of following the instruction.
Examples with pinyin and English
这个菜很难吃， 千万不要点！
This dish is horrible. Make sure you don't order it!
那里太危险了， 千万不要去！
It's too dangerous there. Whatever you do, don't go!
他们的产品是假的，你千万不要买！
Their products are fake. DO NOT buy them!
他不是什么好人， 千万不要相信他！
He is not a good person, you really can't believe him!
What to remember
- 千万 strengthens an instruction or warning.
- Negative instructions are especially common.
- It often precedes 要, 别, or 不要.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.