If / supposing… (倘若/倘使)

Structure 倘若/倘使 + supposition，（则/便）+ consequence

倘若 (tǎngruò) and its variant 倘使 (tǎngshǐ) introduce a condition in a formal, written register: "if…", "in the event that…". They mean the same as 如果 / 要是 (HSK 1–3) but sound far more literary, appearing mostly in journalism, essays and polished prose. The consequence is often capped with 则 (zé) or 便 (biàn) — also formal — rather than colloquial 就. It is common in warnings and reasoning: 倘若属实，后果不堪设想 = "if it proves true, the consequences would be unthinkable".

Examples

倘tǎng若ruò消xiāo息xī属shǔ实shí，后hòu果guǒ不bù堪kān设shè想xiǎng。
If the news proves true, the consequences would be unthinkable.
倘tǎng使shǐ各gè方fāng拒jù不bù让ràng步bù，谈tán判pàn则zé将jiāng彻chè底dǐ破pò裂liè。
Should the parties refuse to make concessions, the talks will break down completely.
倘tǎng若ruò人rén人rén都dōu袖xiù手shǒu旁páng观guān，社shè会huì便biàn无wú从cóng进jìn步bù。
If everyone simply stood by, society would have no way to advance.
倘tǎng若ruò当dāng年nián另lìng作zuò选xuǎn择zé，他tā的de人rén生shēng或huò许xǔ截jié然rán不bù同tóng。
Had he chosen differently back then, his life might have been entirely different.

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