Expressing ‘why bother’ with hébì and hékǔ

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, 何必 hébì and 何苦 hékǔ are rhetorical expressions often used to question unnecessary actions or efforts. While both ask “why bother,” they focus on different aspects.

Structure

S + 何必 + Rhetorical Question

It is used to suggest that something is unnecessary or redundant. It often implies a rhetorical question, indicating that there’s no need for a certain action or behavior.

這麼zhème簡單jiǎndān的de事shì何必hébì分fēn兩liǎng次cì做zuò？ 这么zhème简单jiǎndān的de事shì何必hébì分fēn两liǎng次cì做zuò？
It’s so simple. Why do it in two steps?

何必hébì生氣shēngqì？ 這zhè不過búguò是shì個ge小xiǎo事shì而已éryǐ何必hébì生气shēngqì？ 这zhè不过búguò是shì个ge小xiǎo事shì而已éryǐ
Why get upset? It’s just a small thing.

何必hébì這麼zhème麻煩máfán呢ne？ 何必hébì这么zhème麻烦máfán呢ne？
Why go through so much trouble?
(Adding 呢 ne to the end of a sentence can help soften the tone, making it sound more casual or less abrupt.)

今天jīntiān天氣tiānqì又yòu不bù冷lěng， 你nǐ何必hébì穿chuān那麼nàme多duō衣服yīfú？ 今天jīntiān天气tiānqì又yòu不bù冷lěng， 你nǐ何必hébì穿chuān那么nàme多duō衣服yīfu？
The weather’s not even cold today. Why wear so many layers?

你nǐ已經yǐjīng知道zhīdào結果jiéguǒ了le，何必hébì再zài問wèn呢ne？ 你nǐ已经yǐjīng知道zhīdào结果jiéguǒ了le， 何必hébì再zài问wèn呢ne？
You already know the result, so why ask again?

S + 何苦 + Rhetorical Question

It suggests unnecessary hardship or pain, often expressing sympathy, regret, or criticism for someone’s actions that caused trouble or discomfort.

東西dōngxī沒méi了le再zài買mǎi就jiù好hǎo， 何苦hékǔ為了wèile一yí個ge東西dōngxī影響yǐngxiǎng心情xīnqíng？ 东西dōngxi没méi了le再zài买mǎi就jiù好hǎo， 何苦hékǔ为了wèile一yí个ge东西dōngxi影响yǐngxiǎng心情xīnqíng？
If something’s gone, just buy it again. Why let it ruin your mood?

你們nǐmen何苦hékǔ為了wèile這麼zhème點diǎn小xiǎo事shì吵架chǎojià？ 你们nǐmen何苦hékǔ为了wèile这么zhème点diǎn小xiǎo事shì吵架chǎojià？
Why quarrel over such a small thing?

天tiān這麼zhème冷lěng，何苦hékǔ跑pǎo出去chūqù買mǎi東西dōngxī呢ne？ 天tiān这么zhème冷lěng， 何苦hékǔ跑pǎo出去chūqù买mǎi东西dōngxi呢ne？
It’s so cold, why go out to buy things?

她tā都dōu已經yǐjīng跟gēn別人biérén結婚jiéhūn了le， 你nǐ何苦hékǔ還hái一直yìzhí愛ài著zhe她tā？ 她tā都dōu已经yǐjīng跟gēn别人biérén结婚jiéhūn了le， 你nǐ何苦hékǔ还hái一直yìzhí爱ài着zhe她tā？
She’s already married to someone else. Why are you still holding on?

他tā都dōu不bú在乎zàihū了le， 你nǐ何苦hékǔ這麼zhème在意zàiyì呢ne？ 他tā都dōu不bú在乎zàihū了le， 你nǐ何苦hékǔ这么zhème在意zàiyì呢ne？
He doesn’t care anymore. Why are you still stressing over it?

Differences

In Spoken Language

何必 hébì /何苦 hékǔ + N

When the context is clear to both the speaker and the listener, we often skip all the details and just keep the noun.

何必hébì明年míngnián？ 你nǐ今天jīntiān就jiù可以kěyǐ跟gēn她tā求婚qiúhūn了le何必hébì明年míngnián？ 你nǐ今天jīntiān就jiù可以kěyǐ跟gēn她tā求婚qiúhūn了le
Why wait until next year? You could propose to her today.

何必hébì酒jiǔ？ 跟gēn對duì的de人rén喝hē的話dehuà， 就算jiùsuàn是shì水shuǐ也yě開心kāixīn何必hébì酒jiǔ？ 跟gēn对duì的de人rén喝hē的话dehuà， 就算jiùsuàn是shì水shuǐ也yě开心kāixīn
Why drink alcohol? If you’re with the right person, even water would make you happy.

Statement + 何必 hébì /何苦 hékǔ + 呢 ne

You can also tag it onto the end of a statement. It’s like saying, “Why make it so complicated? Why go through all that hassle?”

為了wèile慶祝qìngzhù生日shēngrì花huā這麼zhème多duō錢qián， 何必hébì呢ne？为了wèile庆祝qìngzhù生日shēngrì花huā这么zhème多duō钱qián， 何必hébì呢ne？
Why spend so much money just to celebrate a birthday? Was it really necessary?

人rén死sǐ不能bùnéng復生fùshēng， 你nǐ這樣zhèyàng不bù吃chī不bù喝hē，何苦hékǔ呢ne？ 人rén死sǐ不能bùnéng复生fùshēng， 你nǐ这样zhèyàng不bù吃chī不bù喝hē， 何苦hékǔ呢ne？
You can’t bring the dead back to life, so why torture yourself by not eating or drinking?

Idiom We Use

早知zǎozhī如此rúcǐ， 何必hébì當初dāngchū早知zǎozhī如此rúcǐ， 何必hébì当初dāngchū
If you knew it would come to this, why did you do it in the first place?

A Song Named 何苦 hékǔ