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  1. {{Grammar Box}} 
    2. 

  2. 

  3. Using "but" in Chinese is really simple to learn. It involves the two words 可是 (kěshì) and 但是 (dànshì). Make no "buts" about it; you'll understand it in no time!
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  4. 

  5. == Structure ==
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  6. 

  7. There are two main words for "but" in Chinese: 可是 (kěshì) and 但是 (dànshì). These are largely the same.  The small difference is that 但是 (dànshì) is slightly more formal, whereas 可是 (kěshì) is just a bit more informal and a tad weaker in tone.  You really don't need to worry about which one is the right one to use though, since they can be used interchangeably.
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  8. 

  9. <div class="jiegou">
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  10. 

  11. Statement， 可是 / 但是 + [Contrary Statement]
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  12. 

  13. </div>
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  14. 

  15. == Examples ==
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  16. 

  17. Usually 可是 (kěshì) and 但是 (dànshì) precede a new phrase within a sentence:
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  18. 

  19. <div class="liju">
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  20. *我 喜欢 他，<em>可是</em> 他 不 喜欢 我。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xǐhuan tā, <em>kěshì</em> tā bù xǐhuan wǒ.</span><span class="trans">I like him, but he doesn't like me.</span>
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  21. *我 很 想 去，<em>但是</em> 我 太 忙 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ hěn xiǎng qù, <em>dànshì</em> wǒ tài máng le.</span><span class="trans">I really want to go, but I am too busy.</span>
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  22. *中文 很 有意思，<em>但是</em> 也 很 难。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngwén hěn yǒuyìsi, <em>dànshì</em> yě hěn nán.</span><span class="trans">Chinese is very interesting, but it is also very hard.</span>
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  23. *我 喜欢 这 件 衬衫，<em>可是</em> 太 贵 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xǐhuan zhè jiàn chènshān, <em>kěshì</em> tài guì le.</span><span class="trans">I like this shirt, but it is too expensive.</span>
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  24. *老板 昨天 给 他 打 电话，<em>可是</em> 他 没 接。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn zuótiān gěi tā dǎ diànhuà, <em>kěshì</em> tā méi jiē.</span><span class="trans">The boss gave him a call yesterday, but he didn't answer.</span>
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  25. *iPhone 很 好，<em>但是</em> 我 没 钱 买。<span class="pinyin">iPhone hěn hǎo, <em>dànshì</em> wǒ méi qián mǎi.</span><span class="trans">The iPhone is great, but I don't have the money to buy it.</span>
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  26. *你们 可以 在 这里  看书，<em>可是</em> 不 可以 说话。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kěyǐ zài zhèlǐ kàn shū, <em>kěshì</em> bù kěyǐ shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">You can read books here, but you can't talk.</span>
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  27. *你 可以 吃， <em>但是</em> 不 可以 吃 太 多。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kěyǐ chī, <em>dànshì</em> bù kěyǐ chī tài duō.</span><span class="trans">You can eat, but you can't eat too much.</span>
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  28. *他 说 五 点 来 见 我，<em>但是</em> 他 没 来。<span class="pinyin">Tā shuō wǔ diǎn lái jiàn wǒ, <em>dànshì</em> tā méi lái.</span><span class="trans">He said he would come to see me at five, but he didn't.</span>
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  29. *这 个 地方 很 漂亮，<em>但是</em> 人 太 多 了。<span class="pinyin">Zhège dìfang hěn piàoliang, <em>dànshì</em> rén tài duō le.</span><span class="trans">This place is beautiful, but there are too many people.</span>
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  30. </div>
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  31. 

  32. '''Note:''' In informal spoken Chinese, 可是 (kěshì) can be shortened to 可 (kě), and 但是 (dànshì) can be shortened to 但 (dàn).
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  33. 

  34. ==See also==
    35. 

  35. *[[A Softer "But"]]
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  36. *[["Although" with "suiran" and "danshi"]]
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  37. 

  38. == Sources and further reading ==
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  39. 

  40. === Books ===
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  41. 

  42. * [[Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)]] (pp. 254-5) [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ →buy]
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  43. 

  44. * [[Chinese Reference Series for Foreigners - 1700 Groups of Frequently Used Chinese Synonyms (外国人学汉语工具书 - 1700对近义词语用法对比)]] (p.319)
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  45. 

  46. *[[发展汉语 中级汉语口语上]] (p. 3)[http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%8F%91%E5%B1%95%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E4%B8%AD%E7%BA%A7%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%8F%A3%E8%AF%AD%E4%B8%8A-%E8%B7%AF%E5%BF%97%E8%8B%B1/dp/B00116EQGQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=1395309042&sr=8-1&keywords=%E5%8F%91%E5%B1%95%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E4%B8%AD%E7%BA%A7%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%8F%A3%E8%AF%AD+%E4%B8%8A →buy]
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  47. 

  48. [[Category:A2 grammar points]]
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  49. {{Basic Grammar|但是|A2|……，可是 / 但是……|我 喜欢 他，<em>可是</em>/<em>但是</em> 他 不 喜欢 我。|grammar point|ASGUD81S}}
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  50. {{Rel char|可是}}
    51. 

  51. {{Rel char|但}}
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  52. {{Rel char|可}}
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  53. {{Similar|A Softer "But"}}  
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  54. {{Similar|"Although" with "suiran" and "danshi"}}
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  55. {{POS|Conjunctions}}
    56. 

  56. {{Used for|Connecting ideas}}
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  57. {{Used for|Contrasting}}
    58. 

  58. {{Translation|although}}
    59. 

  59. {{Translation|but}}
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  60.