How to Say ‘Must be by’ in Simplified Chinese
要在
yào zài
[yaow dzeye]
💬 Usage Tip: [要在...] often means "need to do something by..." when a time phrase follows. For example, [要在六点前到] means "need to arrive before 6."
Phrase Breakdown
要
yào
[yaow]
need to; must
Shows necessity or requirement, often used in rules, policies, and instructions.
你要在规定时间内取消预订。
You need to cancel the reservation within the specified time.
在
zài
[dzeye]
at; by; before
In this pattern, 在 helps introduce the time by which something must be done.
要在晚上八点前取消才不会收费。
You need to cancel by 8 p.m. so that you won't be charged.
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