{"id":3285,"date":"2019-11-09T20:38:31","date_gmt":"2019-11-09T20:38:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/chinese-grammar\/chinese-grammar-two-words-for-quot-but-quot\/"},"modified":"2019-11-09T20:38:31","modified_gmt":"2019-11-09T20:38:31","slug":"chinese-grammar-two-words-for-quot-but-quot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/vi\/chinese-grammar-two-words-for-quot-but-quot\/","title":{"rendered":"Chinese grammar: Two words for "but""},"content":{"rendered":"
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Using "but" in Chinese is really simple and easy to learn, and it involves two words. No "buts" a<\/em>bout it!<\/p>\n

Basic Pattern:
<\/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

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

\u53ef\u662f \u4f46\u662f
Lighter Stronger
Less formal More formal
Used more in speech Used more in writing
Used more in the north Used more in the south<\/p>\n

Examples:
<\/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.
\u6211 \u559c\u6b22\uff0c\u4f46\u662f \u6211 \u4e0d \u9700\u8981\u3002<\/div>\n
I like it, but I don’t need it.<\/div>\n
Zài túsh\u016b\u0261u\u01cen n\u01d0 kéy\u01d0 h\u0113shu\u01d0, dànshì bú kéy\u01d0 ch\u014duy\u0101n.
\u5728 \u56fe\u4e66\u9986 \u4f60 \u53ef\u4ee5 \u559d\u6c34\uff0c\u4f46\u662f \u4e0d \u53ef\u4ee5 \u62bd\u70df\u3002<\/div>\n
In the library you can drink water, but you can’t smoke.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n