Chinese Conversation · Level 80
91 words
Chinese word
倒是
Pronunciation
Pinyindào shì
Meaning
- adverbrather
Example
我倒是想去，但没时间。wǒ dào shì xiǎng qù dàn méi shí jiān
I really do want to go, but I don't have time.
More examples
他没经验，倒是学得很快。tā méi jīng yàn dào shì xué de hěn kuài
He has no experience, but he learns very quickly.
Core concept
A spoken pivot that grants one point, then turns toward a qualifying or contrasting point.
Common phrases
倒是可以试试dào shì ké yǐ shì shì
could actually try it
倒是没关系dào shì méi guān xì
there's actually no problem
倒是挺合适的dào shì tǐng hé shì de
it's actually a good fit
Similar words
反而fǎn ér: Indicates that events produce the reverse of the expected result.
却què: Briefly signals a fact or outcome that goes against the earlier statement.
反倒fǎn dào: Emphasizes that something happens in the opposite way from what was expected.
Definition in Chinese
用于在承认或让步的语境中引出补充意见，既可表示“确实”，又可引出与之对比的另一面，常见于口语。yòng yú zài chéng rèn huò ràng bù de yǔ jìng zhōng yǐn chū bǔ chōng yì jiàn jì kě biǎo shì què shí yòu kě yǐn chū yǔ zhī duì bǐ de lìng yí miàn cháng jiàn yú kóu yǔ
Word origin
倒 (dào, "instead") + 是 (shì, "be; yes") combines a turn away from expectation with affirmation, forming a marker for qualified agreement.
Usage tips
- In everyday conversation, this word can make partial disagreement sound less abrupt because the speaker acknowledges something before adding a limitation.
Other meanings
- insteadadverb
- certainlyadverb