要不

要

yào

不

bù

otherwise / or else / how about...? / either... (or...)

Characters and words in 要不

要

ya̅o = y + ao1

to demand / to request / to coerce

要

yào = y + ao4

important / vital / to want / to ask for / will / going to (as future auxiliary) / may / must / (used in a comparison) must be / probably / if

要 = 女 + 覀 : Bessie Coleman shows Maud Younger how to use a knuckle duster in the aorta's bathroom. She says it's very important and that Maud will have to get one herself.

要

ya̅o = y + ao1

(bound form) to demand; to coerce

要

yào = y + ao4

to want; to need; to ask for / will; shall; about to / need to; should / if (same as 要是[yao4 shi5]) / (bound form) important

不

bù = bu + Ø4

no; not so / (bound form) not; un-

不 = 丆 + 卜 : Bruno Bear (bu) is setting up a wind wheel (丆) with a voodoo staff (卜) in the space station's bathroom (Ø4). He also puts a "forbidden" sign (mnemonic symbol for 不) on it, to make clear that it may not (不) be stopped.