Chinese Grammar Bank
HOW TO USE 可是 AND 但是
There are two main words for BUT in Chinese: 可是 (kě shì) and 但是 (dàn shì).
The two words are primarily the same as transition terms in sentences. They can be used interchangeably in most situations.
And both 可是 and 但是 are often used with 虽然 (suīrán) as a pattern. However, there is a slight difference between these two words.
可是 AND 但是 BASIC STRUCTURES
The sentence structure of 可是 (kě shì) and 但是 (dàn shì) are basically the same:
PATTERN
Statement + 可是 / 但是 + Contrary Statement
However:
- 但是 (dàn shì) is often used in texts and is more formal,
- whereas 可是 (kě shì) is often used when you talk to someone and is a bit informal.
Especially in a complex sentence with a serious topic, we often use 但是 as a transition term rather than 可是.
For instance:
| 虽然经 营 状 况 已经有 所 好 转，但是某 些方 面 的问题 仍 值得我们关注。 |
| suī rán jīng yíng zhuàng kuàng yǐ jīng yǒu suǒ hǎo zhuǎn ，dàn shì mǒu xiē fāng miàn de wèn tí réng zhí dé wǒ men guān zhù |
| Although the business situation has improved, some issues still deserve our attention. |
In this text, if you change 但是 to 可是, it will be a little inappropriate.
可是 AND 但是 SENTENCE EXAMPLES
| CHINESE | PINYIN | ENGLISH |
|---|---|---|
| 虽然我很想参加，可是我太忙了。 | suī rán wǒ hěn xiǎng cān jiā，kě shì wǒ tài máng le | I’d love to participate, but I’m too busy. |
| 虽然我很喜欢这块手表，可是它太贵了。 | suī rán wǒ hěn xǐ huān zhè kuài shǒu biǎo，kě shì tā tài guì le | As much as I like this watch, it is too expensive. |
| 我们约定好了时间，可是他迟到了。 | wǒ men yuē dìng hǎo le shí jiān，kě shì tā chí dào le | We made an appointment, but he was late. |
但是 SENTENCE EXAMPLES
| chinese | pinyin | english |
|---|---|---|
| 山上的景色很美，但是气温太低了。 | shān shàng de jǐng sè hěn měi，dàn shì qì wēn tài dī le | The view from the mountain is beautiful, but the temperature is too low. |
| 虽然这次失败了，但是我相信下次我们一定可以成功。 | suī rán zhè cì shī bài le，dàn shì wǒ xiàng xìn xià cì wǒ men yī dìng kě yǐ chéng gōng | Although we failed this time, I believe we can succeed next time. |
| 这里是安静区域，你们可以在这里看书，但是不可以聊天。 | zhè lǐ shì ān jìng qū yù，nǐ men kě yǐ zài zhè lǐ kàn shū，dàn shì bú kě yǐ liáo tiān | This is a quiet area, where you can read, but not chat. |
As you may be able to tell from the examples above, using 可是 (kě shì) in the sentences will have a tad weaker effect in tone compared to 但是 (dàn shì).
That is, 但是 often sounds stronger, while 可是 sounds more casual.
Here’s another example for you to comprehend this grammatical mood:
- 但是这是命令。 But this is order.
- 可是他是好人。 But he is a good man.
In summary, 可是 (kě shì) and 但是 (dàn shì) are so similar that even native Chinese speakers get confused sometimes. So, a little more practice can help you better decide which one is the right one to use in various situations.
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FAQs
What does 可是 mean?
可是 (kě shì) is one of the Chinese words used to express “but,” usually used in conjunction with 虽然 (suīrán). It is a tad informal, and commonly used in casual situations.
What does 但是 mean?
但是 (dàn shì) is another Chinese words used to express “but,” also usually used in conjunction with 虽然 (suīrán). It is somewhat formal, and common in both casual and formal settings.
What is the difference between 但是 and 可是?
The main difference between 可是 (kě shì) and 但是 (dàn shì) is that 但是 (dàn shì) is a little bit more formal than 可是 (kě shì).
So, if you’re going to talk about a complex or touchy subject, you should probably use 但是 instead of 可是.
What are some example sentences with 可是?
Here are some example sentences using 可是:
-虽然我很想参加，可是我太忙了。suī rán wǒ hěn xiǎng cān jiā，kě shì wǒ tài máng le. I’d love to participate, but I’m too busy.
– 虽然我很喜欢这块手表，可是它太贵了。suī rán wǒ hěn xǐ huān zhè kuài shǒu biǎo，kě shì tā tài guì le. As much as I like this watch, it is too expensive.
– 我们约定好了时间，可是他迟到了。wǒ men yuē dìng hǎo le shí jiān，kě shì tā chí dào le. We made an appointment, but he was late.
What are some example sentences with 但是?
Here are some example sentences using 但是:
– 山上的景色很美，但是气温太低了。shān shàng de jǐng sè hěn měi，dàn shì qì wēn tài dī le. The view from the mountain is beautiful, but the temperature is too low.
– 虽然这次失败了，但是我相信下次我们一定可以成功。suī rán zhè cì shī bài le，dàn shì wǒ xiàng xìn xià cì wǒ men yī dìng kě yǐ chéng gōng. Although we failed this time, I believe we can succeed next time.
– 虽然这个游戏很好玩，但是它也很危险。suī rán zhè gè yóu xì hěn hǎo wán，dàn shì tā yě hěn wēi xiǎn. While this game is fun, it’s also dangerous.
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