{{Grammar Box}} 

The conjunction 而 (ér) is used to connect two sentences that are related to each other, but talk about contrasting ideas or subjects. In this manner, it can be seen as a word meaning "but" or "rather." 而 is often used in a more formal or literary sense, but it is also common in everyday speech.

==Structure==

<div class="jiegou">

Sentence 1， + 而 + Sentence 2

</div>

==Examples==

<div class="liju">
* 我们 都 以为 这 是 他 干 的，<em>而</em> 事实 是，他 根本 不 知道 这 件 事情。<span class="trans">We all thought this was his task, but the fact is, he simply doesn't know about this topic.</span>
* 以后 后悔 的 人 不 是 我，<em>而</em> 是 你 自己。<span class="trans">The regretful person isn't me. It's you.</span>
* 现在 要 做 的 不 是 责怪 谁 错 了，<em>而</em> 是 怎么 解决。<span class="trans">Now is not the time to accuse who did it wrong, but to figure out how to resolve it.</span>
* 我 喜欢 中国 菜，<em>而</em> 他 不 喜欢。<span class="trans">I like Chinese food, but he does not.</span>
</div>

==See Also==

*[[Expressing "not only… but also"]]
*[[Two words for "but"]]
*[[Because" with "er" Indicating Effect]]

==Sources and Further Reading==

===Books===

* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 343-4) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]
*[[卓越汉语－公司实战篇]] (pp. 128, 200) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD-%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87-%E8%83%A1%E7%81%B5%E5%9D%87/dp/B003QZWQ6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347863170&sr=8-1 →buy]

===Websites===

* Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0235.html Usage of 而]

[[Category:B2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|而|B2|Sentence 1， + 而 + Sentence 2|以后 后悔 的 人 不 是 我，<em>而</em> 是 你 自己。|grammar point|ASGMX0ZS}}
{{Similar|Expressing "not only… but also"}}
{{Similar|"Not only… but also" with "bujin"}}
{{Similar|Many Types of "Not Only… But Also…"}}
{{Used for|Contrasting}}
{{Used for|Differentiating}}
{{POS|Conjunctions}}
{{Translation|but}}