Fixed Phrases: 不得了、用不着、得了
不得了, 用不着 and 得了 are three set expressions with fixed meanings. 不得了 (extremely) follows 得 as a degree complement, 用不着 (no need to) is a negative potential form, and 得了 (that is enough) is a spoken remark that ends a discussion.
In English
These three phrases are fixed and appear all the time in speech. 不得了 follows 得 to show an extreme degree, as in 高兴得不得了, "extremely happy". 用不着 means "there is no need" or "no use for": 用不着客气.
得了 is a colloquial interjection that ends an argument or shows disbelief, and 得了吧 means "oh, come on". Learn each one as a whole phrase and do not analyse the 得 inside them.
用不着 (yòng bu zháo) = no need to / no use for — negative potential complement of 用得着: 用不着 + N/VP.
✅ 这些旧衣服你用不着了吧，不如捐出去。
得了 (dé le) = 'that's enough / fine, OK' — a colloquial interjection to end a discussion or express disbelief (得了吧 = oh please, come on).
✅ 得了，别再抱怨了，赶紧准备考试吧。
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 听到这个好消息，她高兴得不得了。 | Tīng dào zhè ge hǎo xiāo xi, tā gāo xìng de bù dé liǎo. | Hearing the good news, she was extremely happy. | 不得了 after 得 intensifies the adjective to an extreme degree. |
| 这些旧衣服你用不着了吧，不如捐出去。 | Zhè xiē jiù yī fu nǐ yòng bu zháo le ba, bù rú juān chū qù. | You probably have no use for these old clothes anymore — why not donate them. | 用不着 states there is no need for/use of something, suggesting an alternative action (捐出去). |
| 得了，别再抱怨了，赶紧准备明天的考试吧。 | Dé le, bié zài bào yuàn le, gǎn jǐn zhǔn bèi míng tiān de kǎo shì ba. | Enough — stop complaining and hurry up and prepare for tomorrow's exam. | 得了 opens the sentence as a colloquial interjection to shut down further complaining. |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
不得了 (bù dé liǎo)
After 得, shows that a feeling or state is extreme.
Structure: adjective or verb + 得 + 不得了
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 这几天忙得不得了，连饭都顾不上吃。 | Zhè jǐ tiān máng de bù dé liǎo, lián fàn dōu gù bu shàng chī. | I have been so busy these days that I have not even had time to eat. |
| 孩子第一次坐飞机，兴奋得不得了。 | Hái zi dì yī cì zuò fēi jī, xīng fèn de bù dé liǎo. | The child was thrilled on his first flight. |
| 他们家的狗聪明得不得了。 | Tā men jiā de gǒu cōng míng de bù dé liǎo. | Their dog is incredibly smart. |
Not: 他不得了地高兴。 不得了 works as a complement after 得, not before the adjective: 他高兴得不得了。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 5, set phrases (其他).
不得了 is also explained in: Degree & State Complements: 不得了、坏了、得+phrase (HSK 5).
用不着 (yòng bu zháo)
Says there is no need to do something, or no use for something.
Structure: 用不着 + verb phrase or noun
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你用不着客气，就当在自己家一样。 | Nǐ yòng bu zháo kè qì, jiù dāng zài zì jǐ jiā yí yàng. | There is no need to stand on ceremony. Make yourself at home. |
| 天气这么好，用不着带伞。 | Tiān qì zhè me hǎo, yòng bu zháo dài sǎn. | The weather is so nice that you do not need an umbrella. |
| 这点小事，用不着麻烦大家。 | Zhè diǎn xiǎo shì, yòng bu zháo má fán dà jiā. | It is a small matter, so there is no need to trouble everyone. |
Not: 这个字我用不着写。 用不着 means "no need", not "cannot". For inability, say 这个字我写不出来。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 5, set phrases (其他).
得了 (dé le)
A spoken interjection that stops an argument or answers with disbelief.
Structure: 得了，+ sentence；得了吧
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 得了，别说了，我已经知道错了。 | Dé le, bié shuō le, wǒ yǐ jīng zhī dào cuò le. | All right, enough, I already know I was wrong. |
| 得了吧，你上次也这么说，结果还是迟到了。 | Dé le ba, nǐ shàng cì yě zhè me shuō, jié guǒ hái shì chí dào le. | Oh come on, you said that last time too and you were still late. |
| 得了得了，我给你买还不行吗？ | Dé le dé le, wǒ gěi nǐ mǎi hái bù xíng ma? | Fine, fine, I will buy it for you, all right? |
Not: 得了，我很喜欢这本书。 得了 cuts a discussion short or doubts what was said. It does not mean "great".
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 6, set phrases (其他).
What this opens up
These patterns list Fixed Phrases among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.
Questions about Fixed Phrases
What does 固定短语 (Fixed Phrases) mean in Chinese?
不得了, 用不着 and 得了 are three set expressions with fixed meanings. 不得了 (extremely) follows 得 as a degree complement, 用不着 (no need to) is a negative potential form, and 得了 (that is enough) is a spoken remark that ends a discussion. It is an HSK 5 grammar point.
How do you use 固定短语 (Fixed Phrases) in a sentence?
听到这个好消息，她高兴得不得了。 — Tīng dào zhè ge hǎo xiāo xi, tā gāo xìng de bù dé liǎo. — Hearing the good news, she was extremely happy. 不得了 after 得 intensifies the adjective to an extreme degree.
Where does 固定短语 (Fixed Phrases) come in the HSK sequence?
HSK 5, and none of its prerequisites are grammar points — nothing else on this reference has to come first, so you can start here.
What does 固定短语 (Fixed Phrases) lead to?
Advanced Particles (HSK 6). Each of them names 固定短语 (Fixed Phrases) among its own prerequisites.
How do I use 不得了?
Put it after 得 to show an extreme degree: 她开心得不得了。 It can also stand alone to say something is serious: 不得了了，着火了！
What does 得了 mean in speech?
It means "enough" or "come off it". 得了，别吵了。 Say 得了吧 when you do not believe someone.
Fixed Phrases is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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