Yěxǔ (也许): Maybe in Chinese

也许

yěxǔ

Maybe

Character breakdown

也

also

yě

许

allow

xǔ

Grammar and structure

也许 is a fixed adverb meaning 'maybe' or 'perhaps'. It's not built from smaller parts that carry separate meanings; it functions as a single unit to express uncertainty.

Variations and politeness

可能

kěnéng

possible — More formal and objective.

或许

huòxǔ

maybe — More colloquial variant.

大概

dàgài

probably — More informal, expresses a guess.

Mini dialogue

你觉得明天会下雨吗？

Nǐ juédé míngtiān huì xià yǔ ma?

Do you think it will rain tomorrow?

也许吧，我不太确定。

Yěxǔ ba, wǒ bù tài quèdìng.

Maybe, I'm not sure.

When to use it

Appropriate

When you want to express personal uncertainty about a future event or situation.
In both casual conversation and slightly formal contexts, as it is neutral in tone.
When you want to soften a suggestion or opinion, making it less assertive.

Avoid when

When you need to express objective probability based on evidence, use 可能 (kěnéng) instead.
When you want to say 'probably' with a higher degree of likelihood, 也许 may sound too hesitant.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say 'maybe' in Chinese?

You can say 也许 (yěxǔ). It is a common adverb meaning 'maybe' or 'perhaps'.

How do you pronounce 也许?

It is pronounced yěxǔ. The first syllable is third tone, the second is third tone, but in natural speech the first third tone often changes to second tone.