{"id":15712,"date":"2020-01-06T01:29:10","date_gmt":"2020-01-06T01:29:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/chinese-grammar\/chinese-grammar-two-words-for-but\/"},"modified":"2020-01-06T01:29:10","modified_gmt":"2020-01-06T01:29:10","slug":"chinese-grammar-two-words-for-but","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/vi\/chinese-grammar-two-words-for-but\/","title":{"rendered":"Chinese grammar: Two words for “but”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\tUsing "but" in Chinese is really simple and easy to learn, and it involves two words. No "buts" about it!<\/p>\n

\tBasic Pattern:
\t<\/strong>There are two main words for "but" in Chinese: "\u53ef\u662f" (k\u011bshì) and "\u4f46\u662f" (dànshì). These are largely the same, with some small differences:<\/p>\n

\t\u53ef\u662f vs \u4f46\u662f<\/p>\n

\t\u53ef\u662f \u4f46\u662f
\tLighter Stronger
\tLess formal More formal
\tUsed more in speech Used more in writing
\tUsed more in the north Used more in the south<\/p>\n

\tExamples:
\t<\/strong>Usually "\u53ef\u662f" and "\u4f46\u662f" precede a new phrase within a sentence:<\/p>\n

W\u01d2 x\u01d0hu\u0251n, dànshì w\u01d2 bú x\u016byào.
\t\u6211 \u559c\u6b22\uff0c\u4f46\u662f \u6211 \u4e0d \u9700\u8981\u3002 \t<\/div>\n
I like it, but I don't need it.<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Zài túsh\u016b\u0261u\u01cen n\u01d0 kéy\u01d0 h\u0113shu\u01d0, dànshì bú kéy\u01d0 ch\u014duy\u0101n.
\t\u5728 \u56fe\u4e66\u9986 \u4f60 \u53ef\u4ee5 \u559d\u6c34\uff0c\u4f46\u662f \u4e0d \u53ef\u4ee5 \u62bd\u70df\u3002 \t<\/div>\n
In the library you can drink water, but you can't smoke. \t<\/div><\/p>\n