что б...

• ЧТО БЫ <Б>... coll

[modal Particle; Invar]

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⇒ (used in exclamations to express the wish that s.o. do sth. or that sth. happen, express frustration that s.o. did not do sth. or that sth. did not happen etc) it would be (or would have been) good if:

- why don't...;

- why not...;

- it would be (might be, would have been etc) nice if...;

- [in limited contexts] if only...

     ♦ Что бы тебе помолчать. Why don't you keep quiet.

     ♦ Вот так же и в случае с корейским самолётом. Что бы сказать попросту: самолёт был сбит. Так нет, ушёл в сторону Японского моря (Войнович 1). The same was true in the case of the Korean airliner. Why not say simply that the plane was shot down? No, the plane went off in the direction of the Sea of Japan (1a).