Dictionary › 但是

但是

dàn shì

Old HSK 2 HSK 3.0 level 2 2-character word

但是 (dàn shì) means "but; however". It is an HSK 3.0 level 2 word, and was HSK 2 in the old six-level list.

What 但是 means

1. but; however

How 但是 is used in grammar

但是 is a grammar word. Each link goes to its own section: what it does in that pattern, the structure, three example sentences with pinyin, and the mistake to avoid.

• Conjunctions: 或者、不过、但是、而且、如果、虽然、只要 (HSK 2)

The official HSK 3.0 grammar outline lists it at level 2, conjunctions (连接分句或者句子); level 4, complex sentences (转折复句).

The characters in 但是

• 但dànbut; yet; however; still; merely; only; just
• 是shìto be (followed by substantives only); correct; right; true…

Example sentences

• 但是他很幸运。
  But he was lucky.
• 但是，我不要。
  But I don't want to.
• 但是您有孩子。
  But you have kids.
• 但是你有孩子。
  But you have kids.
• 但是，数量不对。
  However, the quantity was not correct.
• 但是他不常微笑。
  But he did not often smile.

Where 但是 is taught

In the GraphChinese course it is part of Conjunctions and Discourse Adverbs (HSK 2), each one a topic in the dependency graph of HSK 1–6 that opens only once its prerequisites are solid.

Go deeper

• Every HSK 2 word, with the rest of its level.
• The four tones and the neutral tone, to read dàn shì correctly.
• Look up another word in the free dictionary.