Chinese word

但是

Pronunciation

Pinyindàn shì

Meaning

  • conjunctionbut

Example

他很聪明，但是不努力。tā hěn cōng míng dàn shì bù nǔ lì

He is very smart, but he does not work hard.

Illustration for 但是 (but)

More examples

我想去聚会，但是我很忙。wǒ xiǎng qù jù huì dàn shì wǒ hěn máng

I want to go to the party, but I am busy.

Core concept

A hinge between two parts of a statement: the second part narrows, opposes, or qualifies the first.

Common phrases

  • 虽然...，但是...suī rán dàn shì

    although ___, ___

  • 但是我很忙dàn shì wǒ hěn máng

    but I am busy

  • 但是我不去dàn shì wǒ bú qù

    but I am not going

Similar words

可是kě shì: Introduces a strongly felt spoken contrast or objection to what was just said.
不过bú guò: Introduces a softer qualification or contrary circumstance after the main point.

Definition in Chinese

表示转折关系的连词，用于连接前后两部分，前项叙述事实或情况，后项表示与前项相反、受限或例外，常置于句中并以逗号与前项分开。biǎo shì zhuǎn zhé guān xì de lián cí yòng yú lián jiē qián hòu liǎng bù fèn qián xiàng xù shù shì shí huò qíng kuàng hòu xiàng biǎo shì yǔ qián xiàng xiāng fǎn shòu xiàn huò lì wài cháng zhì yú jù zhōng bìng yǐ dòu hào yǔ qián xiàng fēn kāi

Word origin

但是 (dànshì, "but") joins 但 (dàn, "only") and 是 (shì, "to be"), with the limiting idea in 但 developing into a marker for a turn in thought.

Usage tips

  • English often places its matching conjunction before the second clause, while Chinese commonly places this one after the first clause, making its position a useful clue.

Other meanings

  • except thatconjunction

Word lists with this word