幸虧/幸亏 xìngkuī grammar
幸虧/幸亏 xìngkuī is an adverb that introduces a situation where due to something happening, a negative result has been averted. It’s commonly translated into luckily or fortunately in English. 要不然 yàobùrán or 否則/否则 fǒuzé usually follows.
Structure
幸虧/幸亏 + Lucky Incident，要不然 + Negative Result
要不然 yàobùrán means otherwise.
我不知道要坐這麼久的船，幸虧我已經吃了暈車藥，要不然我一定會吐
我不知道要坐这么久的船，幸亏我已经吃了晕车药，要不然我一定会吐
Wǒ bù zhīdào yào zuò zhème jiǔ de chuán, xìngkuī wǒ yǐjīng chīle yūnchē yào, yàobùrán wǒ yídìng huì tù.
Wǒ bù zhīdào yào zuò zhème jiǔ de chuán, xìngkuī wǒ yǐjīng chīle yùnchē yào, yàobùrán wǒ yídìng huì tù.
I didn’t know it was going to be such a long boat ride. Fortunately, I had taken motion sickness medication; otherwise, I would have thrown up!
幸虧今天天氣很好，要不然我們的野餐又要取消了
幸亏今天天气很好，要不然我们的野餐又要取消了
Xìngkuī jīntiān tiānqì hěn hǎo, yàobùrán wǒmen de yěcān yòu yào qǔxiāole.
Fortunately, the weather is very good today; otherwise, our picnic would have been canceled again.
要不 yàobù and 不然 bùrán
要不然 yàobùrán can be replaced by 要不 yàobù or 不然 bùrán. 要不然 yàobùrán can be used in both spoken and written Chinese. 要不 yàobù is for writing and 不然 bùrán is for speaking.
幸虧你開車送我，不然我一定遲到
幸亏你开车送我，不然我一定迟到
Xìngkuī nǐ kāichē sòng wǒ, bùrán wǒ yídìng chídào.
It’s good that you gave me a ride; otherwise, I would have been late.
幸虧這幾年存了不少錢，要不我們真負擔不起醫藥費
幸亏这几年存了不少钱，要不我们真负担不起医药费
Xìngkuī zhè jǐ nián cúnle bùshǎo qián, yào bù wǒmen zhēn fùdān bù qǐ yīyàofèi.
Fortunately, we have saved a lot of money in the past few years; otherwise, we really could not afford the medical expenses.
幸虧/幸亏 + Lucky Incident，否則/否则 + Negative Result
否則/否则 fǒuzé also means ’otherwise,‘ but it’s more literal.
幸虧我帶了雨傘，否則我們就得淋雨了
幸亏我带了雨伞，否则我们就得淋雨了
Xìngkuī wǒ dàile yǔsǎn, fǒuzé wǒmen jiù děi lín yǔle.
Fortunately, I brought an umbrella; otherwise, we would have gotten wet.
幸虧你來了，否則我們真的不知道該怎麼辦
幸亏你来了，否则我们真的不知道该怎么办
Xìngkuī nǐ láile, fǒuzé wǒmen zhēn de bù zhīdào gāi zěnme bàn.
Fortunately, you came; otherwise, we really do not know what to do.
幸虧 vs 多虧
幸虧/幸亏 xìngkuī and 多虧/多亏 duōkuī have the same grammar function. The differences between these two are meaning and structure.
Meaning
幸虧/幸亏 xìngkuī: It’s more general for any lucky situation.
多虧/多亏 duōkuī: It’s more specific for someone’s help.
多虧你幫我，我才能找到這份工作
多亏你帮我，我才能找到这份工作
Duōkuī nǐ bāng wǒ, wǒ cáinéng zhǎodào zhè fèn gōngzuò.
Thanks to your help, I was able to find this job.
Structure
幸虧/幸亏 xìngkuī: It needs to combine with a clause.
多虧/多亏 duōkuī: It can combine with a simple noun phrase or a pronoun.
多虧你，我才能找到這份工作
多亏你，我才能找到这份工作
Duōkuī nǐ, wǒ cáinéng zhǎodào zhè fèn gōngzuò.
Thanks to you, I was able to find this job.
A Song Named 幸虧/幸亏 xìngkuī
Lyrics from the song
幸虧你的題雖難，我偏偏會
幸亏你的题虽难，我偏偏会
Xìngkuī nǐ de tí suī nán, wǒ piānpiān huì.
Fortunately, although your questions are difficult, I know how to answer them.
