Discussion of 除非...才... [chú fēi ... cái ...] Only if..., will...; Unless...,... - Trainchinese

1 - This structure indicates that the result won’t be achieved without the condition given. 除非 is used in the clause where the condition is. The adverb 才 is used (after the subject) in the clause indicating the result. For example: E.g.1 除非明天下大雪，会议才会取消。 [phr] Only if it snows heavily tomorrow will meeting be cancelled.; Unless it snows heavily tomorrow, the meeting will not be cancelled. Pay attention that the 才 can never be omitted in the second clause. But sometimes 除非 can be absent. We can also say: E.g. 2 明天下大雪，会议才会取消。 [phr] (Only if) it snows heavily tomorrow will meeting be cancelled.

此结构表明，若非满足所给条件，则目标结果将无法达成。在表达条件的从句中，常使用“除非”一词。在表示结果的从句中，副词“才”置于主语之后。例如：例如1，除非明天下大雪，会议方将取消。[短语]（仅当）明天下大雪，会议将取消；除非明天下大雪，否则会议将不予取消。请注意，“才”在第二句中绝不可省略。然而，有时“除非”可以省略。我们还可以这样表达：例如2，明天下大雪，会议方将取消。[短语]（仅当）明天下大雪，会议将取消。