倒 (dào) can be used to express something is contrary to expectations, acting as a turning point in the sentence. It is generally followed by a positive comment.
倒 Used to Express an Unexpected Situation
Note that 倒 is often followed by 也 or 又 to add further emphasis.
Structure
Examples
- 他 不 是 很 努力 的学生，但 成绩 倒 也 不错。 He's not a vey hard-working student, but his score isn't too bad.
- 已经 是 春天 了，倒 又 冷 起来 了。 It's already spring, but it's getting cold.
- 不 吃 药，病 倒 慢慢 好 了。 I didn't take any medicine, but I'm getting better.
- 他 是 个 老外，普通话 倒 挺 流利。 He is a foreigner, but he speaks fluent Chinese.
Using 倒 to make a concession
Structure
倒 can also be used to express a concession, so it's often followed by 就是、但是、可是、不过.
Subj. 倒 + positive side，不过 / 但是 / 就是 ＋undesirable things
Examples
- 这 篇 文章 的 内容 倒 不错，就是 太 长 了。 The content of this article is great, but it's a little too long.
- 这 件 衣服 的 样式 和 大小 倒 都 合适，可是 我 不 喜欢 这 个 颜色。 The style and size if this piece of clothes fit me well, but I don't like its color.
- 你们 提供 的 服务 倒 不错，但是 对 我 来说 太 贵 了。 The service you provide is great, but it's too expensive to me.
- 我 倒 想 陪 你 一起 去，不过 要 等 到 周末。 I want to come with you, but you need to wait until this weekend.
For more on 倒, be sure to check our C1 (advanced) grammar point on expressing contrariness with 倒.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 140-3)
- New Practical Chinese Reader 5 (新实用汉语课本5) (pp. 52)