“不至于”
不至于 says that a situation will not go as far as a worse outcome: 他只是有点儿累，还不至于生病. What follows it is always the more serious possibility. The positive 至于 appears mostly in the question 至于吗? — “is it really that serious?”
结构
主语 +（还）不至于 + 更严重的情况 ｜ ……，至于吗？
讲解
本文中的中文词语都可以激活，查看词典释义。
measures a situation against a worse one and says it will not reach it. The thing after is the feared or exaggerated outcome, never the normal one: ，， “The exam is hard, but I prepared properly — I won’t fail.” It is often preceded by , , or .
Because it rules out an extreme, it sounds strange with something ordinary or desirable. ， makes no sense: speaking after three years of study is not an extreme to be ruled out. The intended sentence is ， — “he won’t be unable to say even simple things.” Notice how often … appears inside it: the pattern naturally points at the worst case.
The positive is used almost only in questions, to tell someone they are overreacting: ，? “Getting angry over such a small thing — is that really necessary?”
Do not confuse it with the other , which means “as for” and introduces a new topic at the start of a sentence: ，. That never takes .
正确
Say each one out loud before moving on. The audio is a reference pronunciation, not a model to imitate exactly — match the tone contour, not the voice.
这次考试虽然难，但我认真准备了，不至于不及格。這次考試雖然難，但我認真準備了，不至於不及格。
Zhè (fourth tone, falling) cì (fourth tone, falling) kǎoshì (third tone, dipping) suīrán (first tone, high and level) nán, (second tone, rising) dàn (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) rènzhēn (fourth tone, falling) zhǔnbèi (third tone, dipping) le, (neutral tone) bú (second tone, rising) zhìyú (fourth tone, falling) bù (fourth tone, falling) jígé. (second tone, rising)···
The exam is hard, but I prepared properly — I won’t fail.
他只是有点儿累，还不至于生病。他只是有點兒累，還不至於生病。
Tā (first tone, high and level) zhǐshì (third tone, dipping) yǒudiǎnr (third tone, dipping) lèi, (fourth tone, falling) hái (second tone, rising) bú (second tone, rising) zhìyú (fourth tone, falling) shēngbìng. (first tone, high and level)···
He’s just a bit tired — it’s not as if he’s ill.
为这么一点儿小事生气，至于吗？為這麼一點兒小事生氣，至於嗎？
Wèi (fourth tone, falling) zhème (fourth tone, falling) yìdiǎnr (fourth tone, falling) xiǎo (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) shēngqì, (first tone, high and level) zhìyú (fourth tone, falling) ma? (neutral tone)···
Getting angry over such a small thing — is that really necessary?
错误 — 常见错误
These sentences are wrong. They are printed here on purpose, each one paired with the repair and the reason, because the error you can recognise is the error you stop making.
不太对
Incorrect sentence: 他学了三年汉语，不至于会说。
正确
Correct sentence: 他学了三年汉语，不至于连简单的话都不会说。
为什么: What follows 不至于 is the worse outcome being ruled out. Being able to speak is not an outcome anyone fears.
不太对
Incorrect sentence: 不至于其他问题，我们下次再讨论。
正确
Correct sentence: 至于其他问题，我们下次再讨论。
为什么: Introducing a new topic (“as for…”) is 至于 alone, at the head of the sentence. It never takes 不.
不太对
Incorrect sentence: 这点儿雨至于取消比赛。
正确
Correct sentence: 这点儿雨还不至于取消比赛。
为什么: In a statement the form is 不至于. The positive 至于 is used in the question 至于吗?, not in plain statements.
对比
Most errors with this pattern are not errors about this pattern — they are a neighbouring pattern arriving at the wrong moment. Read these side by side.
连…都 points at an extreme case and includes it; 不至于 points at an extreme case and excludes it. The two often appear together, because the worst case 不至于 rules out is naturally expressed with 连: 他不至于连这个都不懂 “He can’t be so bad that he doesn’t even understand this.”
Even: 连…都／也… →小测验
第 1 题 / 3总分: 0
Which sentence uses 不至于 correctly?