虽然…但是…: although…but

Chinese grammar · HSK 4 · 虽然…但是… · By Carson 木林森

Meaning: although … but. Concedes a fact in clause A, then asserts the main point in clause B.

虽然 suī rán although; even though (often used correlati… 但是 dàn shì but; however

Structure: 虽然 + Clause A (the concession) + 但是/可是/却 + Clause B (the main point)

✅ 虽然外面下雨，但是他还是去上班了。
✅ 这道题虽然难，我还是做出来了。

Key contrast:
- 虽然/但是 = concession (colloquial, everyday)
- 尽管/仍然 = concession (more formal/literary)
- 既然/就 = logical conclusion from accepted fact (≠ concession)
- 无论/都 = universal regardless (≠ concession)

Worked examples

Chinese	Pinyin	English	What it shows
虽然外面下雨，但是他还是出发了。	Suī rán wài miàn xià yǔ, dàn shì tā hái shì chū fā le.	Although it was raining outside, he still set off.	Minimal 虽然/但是 frame: conceded fact (rain) + maintained action (set off)
这道菜虽然看起来简单，但是要做好需要不少技巧。	Zhè dào cài suī rán kàn qǐ lái jiǎn dān, dàn shì yào zuò hǎo xū yào bù shǎo jì qiǎo.	Although this dish looks simple, making it well requires quite a few skills.	虽然 placed after subject (shared subject) — both clauses about the same dish
虽然我们之间距离很远，但是我们的友谊一直没有改变。	Suī rán wǒ men zhī jiān jù lí hěn yuǎn, dàn shì wǒ men de yǒu yì yī zhí méi yǒu gǎi biàn.	Although the distance between us is great, our friendship has never changed.	Different subjects in each clause: 虽然 moves to sentence-initial position

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Concessive Compound

虽然…但是… 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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