倘若 tǎngruò if
if; supposing; in case
How to remember 倘若: 倘 if + 若 if = if.
Characters
How it is used
- A formal 'if / supposing' opening a hypothetical - 倘若失败，该怎么办 (tǎngruò shībài, gāi zěnme bàn) if it fails, what then?
- Written/literary register; in speech people say 如果 (rúguǒ) or 要是 (yàoshi). 倘若 signals essay or careful prose.
- Often pairs with 那 or 就 in the result clause. Near-synonym 假使 (jiǎshǐ) is equally formal.