Dictionary › 可是

可是

kě shì

Old HSK 4 HSK 3.0 level 3 2-character word

可是 (kě shì) means "but; however". It is an HSK 3.0 level 3 word, and was HSK 4 in the old six-level list.

What 可是 means

1. but; however
2. (used for emphasis) indeed

How 可是 is used in grammar

可是 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.

• Concessive Compound: 虽然…但是/可是, 不过 (HSK 2)

The official HSK 3.0 grammar outline lists it at level 3, conjunctions (连接分句或句子).

The characters in 可是

• 可kě(prefix) can; may; able to; -able; to approve; to permit; to suit
• 是shìto be (followed by substantives only); correct; right; true…

Example sentences

• 可是太贵了！
  But it's too expensive!

Sounds the same

Read kě shì, tone for tone, but written differently.

• 可恃reliable

Where 可是 is taught

In the GraphChinese course it is part of Logical connectives & conjunctions (HSK 4), each one a topic in the dependency graph of HSK 1–6 that opens only once its prerequisites are solid.

Go deeper

• Every HSK 4 word, with the rest of its level.
• The four tones and the neutral tone, to read kě shì correctly.
• Look up another word in the free dictionary.