不至于 means “not to the point of …” or “not enough to cause that result,” setting a limit on how serious a situation is or how far its consequences will go.
不至于 means “not to the point of …” or “not enough to cause that result.” It sets a limit on how serious a situation is or how far its consequences will go. In natural English, it is often translated as “it’s not that bad,” “it won’t come to that,” or “that doesn’t mean ….”
It is usually a matter-of-fact way to reassure someone or push back on a conclusion. But said by itself, 不至于 can sound dismissive depending on tone.
Wen
餐厅说还得等二十分钟。要不今天算了？
Cāntīng shuō hái děi děng èrshí fēnzhōng. Yàobù jīntiān suàn le?
“The restaurant says we still have to wait twenty minutes. Maybe we should forget it tonight?”
Xia
不至于吧，就二十分钟。先去旁边喝点东西。
Bú zhìyú ba, jiù èrshí fēnzhōng. Xiān qù pángbiān hē diǎn dōngxi.
“That’s not enough reason to cancel—it’s only twenty minutes. Let’s get a drink next door first.”
Wen
行，那先去旁边坐会儿。
Xíng, nà xiān qù pángbiān zuò huìr.
“Okay, let’s sit next door for a bit.”
Wen treats a twenty-minute wait as a reason to cancel. Xia uses 不至于 to say the delay has not reached that point, then suggests waiting nearby.
close friends