HSK 3 · Function Words

如果 rúguǒ “if” in Chinese

Same in Traditional

What 如果 means

  1. if
  2. in the event that
  3. in case

How to say 如果

  • Pitch chart of the second tone: rises from mid to high, 3 to 5 on the five-level scale如rú2nd tone, rising
  • Pitch chart of the third tone: dips low then rises, 2 to 1 to 4 on the five-level scale果guǒ3rd tone, dipping

如果 in a sentence

  1. 如果你能来，我会很高兴。

    Rúguǒ nǐ néng lái, wǒ huì hěn gāoxìng.

    If you can come, I’ll be very happy.

    Sentence #5549532 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

  2. 如果你想成功，就一定要努力工作。

    Rúguǒ nǐ xiǎng chénggōng, jiù yídìng yào nǔlì gōngzuò.

    If you want to succeed, you have to work hard.

    Sentence #365916 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

  3. 如果饿了，吃吧。

    Rúguǒ è le, chī ba.

    If you’re hungry, eat something.

    Sentence #12686056 from Tatoeba · translation adapted

How 如果 is built

Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.

The character 如 (rú) with each of its parts in a different colour
如rúas
  • 女woman · nǚ
  • 口mouth · kǒu
The character 果 (guǒ) with each of its parts in a different colour
果guǒfruit
  • 田field · tián
  • 木tree · mù

Memory aidFruit 田 growing on a tree 木.

How to write 如果

如 6 strokes · 果 8 strokes

Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.

如果 (rúguǒ) stroke order chart: each stroke of the characters in the order you write them
Stroke order chart for 如果 (rúguǒ). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.

Words related to 如果

Words with 如

比如bǐrú · for example例如lìrú · for example如今rújīn · nowadays不如bùrú · not equal to假如jiǎrú · if如何rúhé · how譬如pìrú · for example犹如yóurú · just like称心如意chènxīnrúyì · to be completely satisfied一如既往yìrújìwǎng · as always

Words with 果

水果shuǐguǒ · fruit苹果píngguǒ · apple果汁guǒzhī · fruit juice结果jiéguǒ · result效果xiàoguǒ · result果实guǒshí · fruit (of a plant)成果chéngguǒ · result后果hòuguǒ · consequences果然guǒrán · really果断guǒduàn · decisive

More words: Particles & Connectors

还是háishi · or还huán · to return或者huòzhě · or然后ránhòu · then为wèi · for为了wèile · in order to先xiān · first向xiàng · direction

FAQs

如果 (rúguǒ) means “if” or “in the event that”. It is an HSK 3 word.
Say it rúguǒ: rú with a 2nd tone, then guǒ with a 3rd tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
Yes. 如果 is written the same way in Simplified and Traditional characters.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type ruguo with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 如果 from the suggestions. Typing ruguo into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
如果 is an HSK 3 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.

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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.