<blockquote>
  <p>不猜便罢, 若猜便猜它个八九不离十</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Yes, 便 here means 就. The whole sentence means 要么就不猜，要是猜的话就会猜个八九不离十. In English, it could be like: <strong><em>Either they don't guess it, or they do - and they'll probably get it right</em></strong>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-27T15:00:46.553Z
Hmm.. Sorry, I still don't quite get it.
goPlayerJuggler
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-27T15:06:39.223Z
@goPlayerJuggler If you don't say where/why you don't get it, I don't know how to help you further.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-27T15:32:56.830Z
Ok. My translation is wrong, apparently, and I don't understand your alternative phrases in Chinese and English. In not sure exactly what it is I'm not getting. Is the (original) phrase an order, or an instruction, or a description? In what circumstances could this phrase be used? Is the speaker talking to someone or talking about someone?
goPlayerJuggler
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-27T15:43:39.477Z
@goPlayerJuggler do you understand 要么不做，要做就做到最好？ The sentence conveys if I do it, I will make it the best. or I'd rather not do it at all.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-27T15:50:44.707Z
@goPlayerJuggler maybe, it's close to: if i guess it, i will probably guess it out. but the thing is I might not want to guess it or i dont necessarily need to guess it. Not sure if this could help after all.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-29T19:05:14.347Z
Dear @dan, thanks for your help. 
//
Both of the Chinese sentences you’ve provided use the structure “要么…要”. Earlier on I wasn’t sure I understood them because dictionaries have the “要么…要么” structure which isn’t quite the same; I didn’t find any references to “要么…要” without the second “么”. But it now seems to me that your sentences make sense when read as “要么…要么” (it seems the second “么” isn’t mandatory here). So anyway, I now feel I understand you.
(1/2)
goPlayerJuggler
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-29T19:05:32.457Z
I’m struck by the way this sentence doesn’t specify to whom it is referring; maybe that’s quite a common thing in Chinese.  I suppose in most cases the context should make it clear.
//
Here’s another go at an English translation:
“Either I don’t guess, or I do guess – and will most likely get it right”
The only thing is, here “I” could also be replaced by “he”, “she” or even “they” or “it”, depending on the context.
//
Do you think we could improve your answer by replacing your English translation with mine?
//Cheers/谢谢!
(2/2)
goPlayerJuggler
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-29T23:31:13.787Z
@goPlayerJuggler I just updated based on your input. Feel free to edit my answer if it's still not good enough.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-29T23:41:12.233Z
@goPlayerJuggler It seems the second 么 is droppable. I didn't pay attention to it, it just flew out of my mind natrually. Sometimes, it's ok to drop the second 要么 entirely in colloqial speecg. E.g. 要么不学，学就要把它学好. or 要么不学，要学就把它学好. In this context, 要么...要 sounds even better than 要么...要么. Not quite sure why.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-27T13:28:39.887Z
2018-10-30T15:22:17.313Z
2018-10-30T15:22:17.313Z
dan
<blockquote>
  <p>I think 便 functions like 就 here. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Yup.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>But I'm not clear about the meaning. Could it be this, in English?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Na. Not <em>this</em>. I like to think of 便 (and 就) as <strong>just</strong>.</p>

<p>——</p>

<p><strong>便罢</strong> can be treated as a single word meaning roughly the equivalent of 就算了 or:</p>

<p>[then] <em>just</em> forget it</p>

<p>In the excerpt 若猜便猜 we can treat it similarly:</p>

<p>If you’re going to guess then <em>just</em> guess something....</p>

<p>——</p>

<p>就 and <em>just</em> also sound similar so it might be a good mnemonic.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-28T19:21:11.433Z
I may not have been clear. When I wrote “could it be this? ” I meant “could the following translation be ok? ”. I was referring to my attempt at a translation that was just after. It's the meaning of the whole sentence that's not clear to me. I think my understanding of the individual words 就 and 便 is not necessarily my problem here...
goPlayerJuggler
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-28T10:52:57.280Z
2018-10-28T10:52:57.280Z
Mou某
<p>This is a sample sentence for 八九不离十, from 现代汉语规范词典：</p>

<p>不猜便罢, 若猜便猜它个八九不离十。</p>

<p>It uses an interesting idiom 八九不离十 which I just learnt thanks to duchinese.net.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.duchinese.net/lessons/E269-eight-and-nine-are-close-to-ten" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.duchinese.net/lessons/E269-eight-and-nine-are-close-to-ten</a></p>

<p>这句话里面的便是不是相当于就？但是意思还不清楚，请解释。
I think 便 functions like 就 here. But I'm not clear about the meaning. Could it be this, in English? </p>

<p>If you don't guess then you stop; if you do guess then get it right.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-27T15:32:20.473Z
bkrs：
**便** ： 
I adv.
1) then; in that case  **便罢**  罢了。用于句末，有为下句蓄势的作用。
如：「不来便罢，要来就得预先通知我！」
1) 才罢休。
2) 犹言就算了，则已。
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-27T15:41:34.060Z
@user6065 Post an answer.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-27T21:48:54.203Z
maybe the problem is 罢 and not 便，see dictionaries concerning the meanings of 罢 （方）（罢论; 算了） let it be (pass); abandon the idea; forget about it:
也罢 all right, then
作罢 let the matter drop hence 便罢，see comment #1
user6065
<translation><grammar><idioms>
What is the function of 便 here? And what does the sentence mean?
# What is the function of 便 here? And what does the sentence mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-10-27)

This is a sample sentence for 八九不离十, from 现代汉语规范词典：

不猜便罢, 若猜便猜它个八九不离十。

It uses an interesting idiom 八九不离十 which I just learnt thanks to duchinese.net.

<http://www.duchinese.net/lessons/E269-eight-and-nine-are-close-to-ten>

这句话里面的便是不是相当于就？但是意思还不清楚，请解释。
I think 便 functions like 就 here. But I'm not clear about the meaning. Could it be this, in English?

If you don't guess then you stop; if you do guess then get it right.

**Tags:** translation, grammar, idioms

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: bkrs： **便** ：  I adv. 1) then; in that case  **便罢**  罢了。用于句末，有为下句蓄势的作用。 如：「不来便罢，要来就得预先通知我！」 1) 才罢休。 2) 犹言就算了，则已。  
> **username_2**: @username_1 Post an answer.  
> **username_1**: maybe the problem is 罢 and not 便，see dictionaries concerning the meanings of 罢 （方）（罢论; 算了） let it be (pass); abandon the idea; forget about it: 也罢 all right, then 作罢 let the matter drop hence 便罢，see comment #1  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-10-27. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

> 不猜便罢, 若猜便猜它个八九不离十

Yes, 便 here means 就. The whole sentence means 要么就不猜，要是猜的话就会猜个八九不离十. In English, it could be like: ***Either they don't guess it, or they do - and they'll probably get it right***.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Hmm.. Sorry, I still don't quite get it.  
> **username_3**: @username_0 If you don't say where/why you don't get it, I don't know how to help you further.  
> **username_0**: Ok. My translation is wrong, apparently, and I don't understand your alternative phrases in Chinese and English. In not sure exactly what it is I'm not getting. Is the (original) phrase an order, or an instruction, or a description? In what circumstances could this phrase be used? Is the speaker talking to someone or talking about someone?  
> **username_3**: @username_0 do you understand 要么不做，要做就做到最好？ The sentence conveys if I do it, I will make it the best. or I'd rather not do it at all.  
> **username_3**: @username_0 maybe, it's close to: if i guess it, i will probably guess it out. but the thing is I might not want to guess it or i dont necessarily need to guess it. Not sure if this could help after all.  
> **username_0**: Dear @username_3, thanks for your help.  // Both of the Chinese sentences you’ve provided use the structure “要么…要”. Earlier on I wasn’t sure I understood them because dictionaries have the “要么…要么” structure which isn’t quite the same; I didn’t find any references to “要么…要” without the second “么”. But it now seems to me that your sentences make sense when read as “要么…要么” (it seems the second “么” isn’t mandatory here). So anyway, I now feel I understand you. (1/2)  
> **username_0**: I’m struck by the way this sentence doesn’t specify to whom it is referring; maybe that’s quite a common thing in Chinese.  I suppose in most cases the context should make it clear. // Here’s another go at an English translation: “Either I don’t guess, or I do guess – and will most likely get it right” The only thing is, here “I” could also be replaced by “he”, “she” or even “they” or “it”, depending on the context. // Do you think we could improve your answer by replacing your English translation with mine? //Cheers/谢谢! (2/2)  
> **username_3**: @username_0 I just updated based on your input. Feel free to edit my answer if it's still not good enough.  
> **username_3**: @username_0 It seems the second 么 is droppable. I didn't pay attention to it, it just flew out of my mind natrually. Sometimes, it's ok to drop the second 要么 entirely in colloqial speecg. E.g. 要么不学，学就要把它学好. or 要么不学，要学就把它学好. In this context, 要么...要 sounds even better than 要么...要么. Not quite sure why.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-10-28. Score: 0

> I think 便 functions like 就 here.

Yup.

> But I'm not clear about the meaning. Could it be this, in English?

Na. Not *this*. I like to think of 便 (and 就) as **just**.

——

**便罢** can be treated as a single word meaning roughly the equivalent of 就算了 or:

[then] *just* forget it

In the excerpt 若猜便猜 we can treat it similarly:

If you’re going to guess then *just* guess something....

——

就 and *just* also sound similar so it might be a good mnemonic.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I may not have been clear. When I wrote “could it be this? ” I meant “could the following translation be ok? ”. I was referring to my attempt at a translation that was just after. It's the meaning of the whole sentence that's not clear to me. I think my understanding of the individual words 就 and 便 is not necessarily my problem here...  

---

