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ChineseGrammarWiki


			
				
					
						
						
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<p>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!</p>
<h2 id="structure">Structure</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Statement， 可是 / 但是 + [Contrary Statement]</p>
</div>
<h2 id="examples">Examples</h2>
<p>Usually 可是 (kěshì) and 但是 (dànshì) precede a new phrase within a
sentence:</p>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
<li>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></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><strong>Note:</strong> In informal spoken Chinese, 可是 (kěshì)
can be shortened to 可 (kě), and 但是 (dànshì) can be shortened to 但
(dàn).</p>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="A_Softer_&quot;But&quot;" title="wikilink">A Softer
"But"</a></li>
<li><a href=
"&quot;Although&quot;_with_&quot;suiran&quot;_and_&quot;danshi&quot;"
title="wikilink">"Although" with "suiran" and "danshi"</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further
reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href=
"Chinese_Grammar_-_Broken_down_into_100_items_-_Basic_and_Intermediate_Levels_(%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95%E7%99%BE%E9%A1%B9%E8%AE%B2%E7%BB%83_-_%E5%88%9D%E4%B8%AD%E7%BA%A7)"
title="wikilink">Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items -
Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)</a> (pp. 254-5)
<a href=
"http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-23&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=536&amp;creative=3132&amp;creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ">
→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href=
"Chinese_Reference_Series_for_Foreigners_-_1700_Groups_of_Frequently_Used_Chinese_Synonyms_(%E5%A4%96%E5%9B%BD%E4%BA%BA%E5%AD%A6%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%B7%A5%E5%85%B7%E4%B9%A6_-_1700%E5%AF%B9%E8%BF%91%E4%B9%89%E8%AF%8D%E8%AF%AD%E7%94%A8%E6%B3%95%E5%AF%B9%E6%AF%94)"
title="wikilink">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)</a> (p.319)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href=
"%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"
title="wikilink">发展汉语 中级汉语口语上</a> (p. 3)<a href=
"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&amp;qid=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=1395309042&amp;sr=8-1&amp;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</a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title=
"wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p>
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