Multi-Clause Compound Sentences

Chinese grammar · HSK 5 · 二重复句 · By Carson 木林森

一个复句里,某个分句本身又是一个完整的复句,这就是二重复句(两层关联词嵌套)。

单句 dān jù 复句 fù jù

结构: 第一层关联词 + [第二层关联词 + 分句 + 分句] + 分句

✅ 虽然他基础不好,但是因为他每天都练习,所以进步很快。
(外层:虽然…但是 表转折;内层嵌在「但是」分句里:因为…所以 表因果)

规则: 先找全句最大的关系(第一层),再看某个分句内部是否还有一组关联词(第二层)。两层关联词各自配对,不能混用(如「虽然」不能和「所以」搭配)。

Worked examples

ChinesePinyinEnglishWhat it shows
虽然这次比赛很难,但是因为队员们一直互相鼓励,所以他们最终取得了好成绩。 Suī rán zhè cì bǐ sài hěn nán, dàn shì yīn wèi duì yuán men yī zhí hù xiāng gǔ lì, suǒ yǐ tā men zuì zhōng qǔ dé le hǎo chéng jì. Although this competition was hard, because the teammates kept encouraging each other, they ultimately achieved good results. Minimal two-layer frame: outer 虽然/但是 (concession), inner 因为/所以 (causation) nested inside the 但是-clause
因为他不但工作认真负责,而且对同事十分友善,所以大家都愿意和他合作。 Yīn wèi tā bù dàn gōng zuò rèn zhēn fù zé, ér qiě duì tóng shì shí fēn yǒu shàn, suǒ yǐ dà jiā dōu yuàn yì hé tā hé zuò. Because he is not only conscientious at work but also very kind to colleagues, everyone is willing to cooperate with him. Outer 因为/所以 (causation) with inner 不但/而且 (additive) nested inside the 因为-clause — a new inner-pair type
虽然他平时工作很忙,但是他一有时间就会去看望父母。 Suī rán tā píng shí gōng zuò hěn máng, dàn shì tā yī yǒu shí jiān jiù huì qù kàn wàng fù mǔ. Although he is usually very busy with work, as soon as he has time he goes to visit his parents. Outer 虽然/但是 with inner 一…就 nested inside the 但是-clause — a third inner-pair type

Produce this pattern without stopping to think about it. GraphChinese drills Multi-Clause Compound Sentences across 13 exercises and schedules the review that keeps it.

What you need first

Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.

What this opens up

These patterns list Multi-Clause Compound Sentences among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.

Multi-Clause Compound Sentences is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.

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