否则

否则 (fǒuzé) is a Chinese conjunction meaning 'otherwise,' 'if not,' or 'or else.' It links two clauses: the first states a condition or action, and 否则 introduces the (usually negative) consequence that follows if that condition is not met (你得快点，否则会迟到 = 'you'd better hurry, otherwise you'll be late'). It leans slightly formal or written; in everyday speech 不然 or 要不 carry the same meaning.

For English speakers, the key point is placement: 否则 begins the second clause and looks back at the whole first clause as the premise — it does not connect two nouns like English 'or.' It always warns of what happens should the prior statement fail to hold, so the following clause typically describes an undesirable outcome (会……, 就……).