Grammar Topic
Connectives in Chinese Grammar
Link reasons, contrasts, additions, alternatives, and sequences across clauses. Explore 47 high-confidence patterns with explanations and real usage.
Connectives Patterns
虽然...但是...Reach for this when you want to admit one thing and then push back against it — 'sure, X is true, BUT Y.' It's the standard concession pattern in Chinese. 虽然 owns up to the inconvenient fact, 但是 delivers the point you actually care about. Use it for almost any 'yes, but' moment: it's expensive but worth it, he's young but smart, the food is bad but cheap.
HSK 1因为...所以...Reach for this when you want to explicitly link a reason to its result — 'because X, so Y.' It's the workhorse cause-and-effect connector in Chinese: stick the reason after 因为, the result after 所以, and you have a clean two-clause sentence anyone from HSK 1 onward will understand. Use it for everyday explanations: why you're tired, why you're late, why you didn't bring an umbrella.
HSK 1不但……而且……Use 不但……而且…… when one fact isn't enough and you want to pile on a second, stronger one — 'not only X, but also Y.' The second clause should escalate, intensify, or add something more impressive to the first. It's the standard progressive connector in writing and careful speech, and unlike English you usually keep both halves explicit in Chinese.
HSK 3-4因为...Use 因为 by itself when you want to give a reason without the full 因为……所以…… frame. It's how you answer 为什么 questions in one short clause, or tack on an explanation after the result has already been stated. Functionally identical to a standalone English 'because' clause. At HSK 1, this lighter form shows up more in speech than the textbook pair, because real conversation rarely needs both halves.
HSK 1不仅……更……Reach for 不仅……更…… when one claim already says a lot and the second claim says even more — 'not only X, but even more so Y.' The 更 in the second clause is what makes this different from 不仅……而且……: it explicitly signals that the second point outweighs the first. You'll see this everywhere in essays, opinion pieces, and elevated speech where the writer wants to layer a stronger argument on top of a strong one.
HSK 5-6不仅仅是……更是……Reach for this when you want to upgrade a description — not just X, but something deeper or more important. It's the heightened essay-and-editorial cousin of 不仅...还..., and you'll meet it constantly in opinion columns, product launches, and TED-style speech. The first half acknowledges the obvious reading; the second half pivots to the meaning the writer actually wants you to walk away with. Use it when the second clause is conceptually bigger than the first, not just additional.
HSK 5-6之所以……是因为……Reach for this when you want to flip the usual order of cause and effect — name the result first, then explain why. It's the analyst's tool: 'The reason X happened is because Y.' Where 因为...所以... starts with the cause and arrives at the result, 之所以...是因为... starts with the result the listener is already curious about, then reveals the cause as the punchline. You'll see it constantly in op-eds, post-game analysis, product explanations, and any sentence framed as 'here's what's really going on behind this.'
HSK 5-6无论……还是……Reach for this when you want to say the outcome holds across multiple options — 'no matter whether A or B, the result is the same.' 无论 introduces the variable, 还是 separates the alternatives, and the main clause states what stays constant. Common in news, speeches, and any context where you want to assert a result is universal. Often pairs with 都 in the result clause to underline 'in every case.'
HSK 5-6为什么...？因为...Reach for this self-Q&A structure when you want to grab attention, then immediately deliver the answer. A speaker poses 为什么...？and answers themselves with 因为... It's one of the most common rhetorical moves in spoken explanations, podcasts, lectures, advertising, and news commentary. The 为什么 part can be a full question or a clipped 'why?' tagged onto a previous statement, and 因为 launches the answer right after the question mark.
HSK 2不仅...也/还...Reach for this when you want to stack two true statements about the same subject and signal that the second one goes beyond expectation — 'not only X, but also Y.' 不仅 introduces the first quality, 也 or 还 introduces the second, often something stronger or more surprising. Used freely in speech and writing. The two clauses can share a subject (then the subject appears once at the front) or each have its own when you want to make a wider claim.
HSK 1不仅...还...Reach for 不仅...还... when you want to add a second fact on top of the first — 'not only X, but also Y.' Both halves are real, parallel claims about the same subject; the second one piles on rather than corrects. You'll hear it in product copy, resumes, news write-ups, and casual praise where someone deserves credit for multiple things. The subject usually appears once, before 不仅, then both clauses share it. 还 sits before the second verb to flag the addition.
HSK 5-6A 还是 BUse 还是 to ask 'A or B?' — a choice question. Coffee or tea? Boy or girl? Stay or go? Drop 还是 between the two options and you've built a clean alternative question with no extra question particle needed. This is the standard way to ask someone to pick between two things in Chinese; you can extend it to three (A, B, 还是 C?) but two is the most common.
HSK 1不仅...还/也...Reach for 不仅...还/也... when one thing isn't the whole story — you want to acknowledge what's already obvious and then layer a second, often bigger point on top. It is the slightly formal 'not only X, but also Y' you'll see in news commentary, essays, and business analysis. The second half escalates: it usually pushes further than the first, surprises the reader, or reinforces the same direction. 还 emphasizes addition; 也 emphasizes parallel quality.
HSK 3-4但是...Reach for 但是 when you want to flip a sentence's direction — you stated one thing, and now you are about to say something that pushes against it. It is the everyday 'but' of Chinese: drop a 但是 at the start of the second clause and the listener immediately knows a contrast is coming. Works at HSK 1 with no partner word required, which is why it shows up constantly in spoken Chinese and news headlines.
HSK 1无论是...还是...Reach for this when the choice between two options DOESN'T MATTER — both lead to the same result. 'Whether it's A or B, the outcome is the same.' Speakers use it to cover all bases: doesn't matter if you take the train or fly, you'll be there by noon. The second clause usually contains 都 ('all, in every case') to drive home that the outcome is universal. Slightly formal register, common in news, business writing, and emphatic speech.
HSK 5-6是...还是...Reach for this when you're offering two options and asking the listener to pick — 'is it A or B?' It's the standard A-or-B question pattern in Chinese, and also works in indirect questions ('I don't know whether A or B'). Both options are framed as plausible; the speaker isn't leaning toward either one. Neutral register, works in casual speech, formal interviews, and news writing alike.
HSK 5-6虽然...但...Reach for this when you want to acknowledge one fact while emphasizing a contrasting reality — 'although X, but Y.' It's the same concession structure as 虽然...但是..., just with the shorter 但 instead of 但是. Slightly more compact and slightly more written-feeling. Common in opinion writing, headlines, and crisp arguments where you want the contrast to land tight. Adult register; works in both written and spoken Chinese.
HSK 5-6不仅... 更/还...Reach for 不仅...更/还... when you want to escalate, not just add — 'not only X, but even more importantly Y.' Use 更 when the second point outranks the first in significance; use 还 when you're simply adding another fact. This is the pattern news writers and analysts pull out when they want to land their bigger point in the second clause. The structure signals to the reader: pay attention, what comes after 更/还 is the real headline.
HSK 5-6不仅...也...Reach for this when one thing is true and a second, related thing is ALSO true — and you want to emphasize that the situation extends beyond the first item. 'Not only X, but Y too.' Slightly more formal than 不只是...也...; common in news, essays, business writing, and thoughtful speech. The two clauses are usually parallel in shape, and the second one often broadens the scope from the first.
HSK 3-4不仅仅是……更像是……Reach for this when you want to upgrade a definition — 'it's not just X, it's more like Y.' The first clause names the shallow or obvious label; the second clause replaces it with a richer, more accurate analogy. It's a writer's move, used to push the reader past a flat description toward a metaphor that captures the real character of the thing. Common in essays, criticism, and analytical journalism.
HSK 5-6不管...还是...都...Use this when you want to say the outcome holds across every option on the table — 'no matter whether A or B, the result is the same.' It pairs a non-question 'whether…or…' with a 都 that locks in the universal result. Common in arguments where you want to shut down exceptions: rich or poor, weekday or weekend, ordinary citizen or president — the rule applies to all of them.
HSK 2绝不仅仅是...而是...Reach for this when you want to forcefully correct an underselling — 'it is absolutely not just X; rather, it is Y.' 绝 ('absolutely, definitely not') gives the negation real weight, and 而是 hard-pivots to the truer description. It's emphatic and argumentative, used when the writer feels the reader is about to dismiss something as ordinary. Heavy register: essays, op-eds, marketing copy, and analysis — almost never casual speech.
HSK 5-6X 听起来 ...，但是其实 ...Use this when you want to set up a reveal — first describe how something SOUNDS to the casual listener, then pull back the curtain on what it ACTUALLY is. Common in news framing, persuasive writing, and conversational storytelling when the speaker is about to surprise you. 听起来 names the surface impression; 但是其实 delivers the reality underneath.
HSK 3-4X 是 ... 的，因为 ...Use this when you state a claim and immediately back it up with a reason. The 是...的 wraps the claim into a confident, definitive assertion (think italics in English: this IS the case), and 因为 then opens the justification. Common in arguments, explanations, and persuasive writing where the speaker wants the claim to sound assured rather than tentative.
HSK 3-4不仅 / 不只 ... 也 / 还 ...Reach for this when you want to stack two facts about the same subject and make the second one feel bigger or more surprising — 'not only X, but also Y.' The first half states a known or expected fact; the second half escalates with something extra. Common in journalism and analysis where the writer is pushing the reader past a narrow interpretation. 不仅 is slightly more formal; 不只 is its casual twin. Pair either with 也 (calm parallel) or 还 (momentum-adding 'also' / 'even').
HSK 5-6不仅不 ... 反而 ...Reach for this when the result goes against expectation — 'not only does it NOT do X, on the contrary, it does Y.' You set up what you (or the reader) thought would happen, then deliver the opposite. It is the punch-line pattern of analysis writing: 'the sanctions didn't just fail to weaken them — they made them stronger.' Common in news, op-eds, and any sentence that turns a reasonable expectation upside down.
HSK 5-6不仅仅是 ... 还有 ...Reach for this when you're broadening the scope of who or what is involved — 'it's not only X, there's also Y.' Where 不仅仅... 也/还... extends a description of the SAME subject, 不仅仅是... 还有... usually expands a LIST or scope, adding another player, another factor, another affected party. Common in news analysis and commentary that wants to say 'this issue isn't isolated — here's what else is on the table.'
HSK 5-6不仅仅是...，...也...Use this when one label undersells the thing. The first clause concedes 'yes, it's that', and the second clause adds the bigger, more important angle. 不仅仅是 is the slightly stronger cousin of 不仅是 — the extra 仅 makes the 'just' more emphatic, like English 'it's not merely…'. Common in commentary and analytical writing where you're correcting a too-narrow framing.
HSK 3-4不仅仅是……Reach for 不仅仅是…… when you want to push back against a too-small reading of something — 'it's not merely…,' 'it's not just…' You're acknowledging the obvious label but signaling that the real story is bigger. Often the bigger reading follows immediately in the next clause with 还, 也, or 更. Sometimes the writer leaves the bigger reading implied, letting 不仅仅是 do the rhetorical work of saying 'and there's more to it than that.'
HSK 3-4不仅仅是...更在于...Reach for this when you want to redirect attention from the surface-level reason to the deeper one. 不仅仅是 concedes the obvious answer; 更在于 says 'the real point lies in…'. This is essay and op-ed register — the kind of move where a writer disarms a shallow reading by acknowledging it, then pivots to the heart of the matter. Strongly written, slightly formal.
HSK 5-6不仅无法/不... 反而会...Reach for this when you want to say something not only fails to achieve its goal, it actually produces the OPPOSITE result. 'Not only does it not help, it makes things worse.' Common in critique, op-eds, health writing, and any argument where you're warning that a well-intentioned action backfires. Stronger than plain 'doesn't work' — you're saying it actively damages.
HSK 5-6不但……甚至……Reach for this when you want to escalate a claim past where the listener would expect — 'not only X, but even Y.' 不但 sets the baseline ('this much is already true'), and 甚至 vaults past it ('and beyond that, even this'). Use it to dramatize the scope of something: not only fake photos, but even fake videos; not only late, but even didn't come at all. The flavor is stronger than plain 不但...而且....
HSK 3-4不但……还……Reach for this when you want to stack two true qualities or actions on the same subject — 'not only X, but also Y.' The first clause states what's already true, and 还 piles on a second fact that's often more impressive, more surprising, or one notch beyond expectation. It's the everyday spoken version of 'not only... but also...' and shows up constantly in product reviews, descriptions of people, and praise.
HSK 3-4不只...还...Reach for this when one fact isn't the whole picture and you want to escalate to a bigger one — 'not only X, but also Y.' The first clause states what people might assume is the full scope (just one city, just one effect, just one person); the second clause expands it (also another, also bigger, also further). It's a common way in news and analysis to push a story from local to global, or from immediate to structural. The 还 ('also/even') in the second half adds reach.
HSK 2不只是 ... 还是 / 也是 ...Reach for this when you want to escalate a description — 'X isn't only Y, it's also Z' — with Z carrying more weight or broader scope than Y. The 不只是 concedes the obvious first label; the 还是/也是 layers on a bigger, often more consequential second label. Common in news analysis, op-eds, and any moment a speaker wants to say 'don't just see this as Y — it's actually a Z-level matter too.'
HSK 3-4不只是...还要...Reach for this when you want to push past one obvious point and add a second, often harder requirement — 'not only X, but also need to Y.' The 要 in the second clause signals that the second part is a demand or expectation, not just a fact. Common in advice, parenting, instructional writing, and motivational contexts. The first clause sets the baseline most people accept; the second raises the bar.
HSK 2之所以... 归功于...Reach for this when you want to spotlight an outcome and credit a specific cause for it — 'the reason X happened is owed to Y.' A formal, written-register attribution pattern used in speeches, business reports, sports commentary, and acceptance remarks. 之所以 introduces the result you want to explain; 归功于 names the person, team, or factor receiving the credit. Use it for positive outcomes — successes, achievements, recoveries. For negative causes, swap 归功于 for 归咎于 ('attribute the blame to').
HSK 5-6之所以……是因为…… / ……的缘由，都要追溯到……Reach for 之所以……是因为…… when you want to flip the usual cause-result order and put the result first, then explain why — 'the reason that X is because Y.' It's the move you make when the listener already knows what happened and you want to deliver the explanation as the punchline. The 缘由追溯到 variant pushes the search further back in time, tracing today's situation to a historical origin. Both belong to written and formal register; in speech, people just use 因为.
HSK 5-6之所以...不仅仅是因为...Reach for this when you want to argue that something matters for MORE than one reason — and the obvious reason is just the start. Common in essays, op-eds, and analytical talks. The first half names the result you're explaining; the second half says 'don't think one cause covers it.' Use it whenever you're about to push past a surface explanation to a deeper one.
HSK 5-6即使……还是……Reach for this when you want to say a result holds even if some condition were true — 'even if X, Y still happens.' The 即使 clause names a hypothetical or extreme scenario; the 还是 clause insists the outcome doesn't change. Conversational and common, this is the everyday concession pattern: useful in argument, planning, and explanation. Note that 即使 covers hypotheticals, while 虽然 covers actual facts.
HSK 3-4因为 ... 所以 ... / 因为 aloneReach for this when you want to spell out a cause and its result. The full 因为...所以... pair is the careful, written version — 'because X, therefore Y' — and is what beginners learn first. In real speech, Chinese speakers happily drop either half: just 因为 explains why; just 所以 delivers the conclusion. Both halves are correct; learners just need to know when to use which.
HSK 3-4尽管...但是/也...Reach for 尽管...但是/也... when you want to acknowledge a real situation and then deliver the main point that holds despite it — 'despite X, still Y.' It's the slightly formal cousin of 虽然...但是.... Use 但是 when the second clause is a clean contrast; use 也 when the second clause is a parallel attitude or action that survives the obstacle. The pattern shows up constantly in news reporting because it lets writers concede a fact while keeping the spotlight on their main claim.
HSK 3-4恰恰是因为...才...Reach for this when you want to overturn an expected explanation and insist the real cause is one the listener didn't see coming. Plain 因为...所以... says 'because A, so B' neutrally. 恰恰是因为...才... says 'it's PRECISELY because of A — not what you'd guess — that B happens.' Use it in argument, analysis, and any moment where the cause is counterintuitive or you're pushing back against a common assumption.
HSK 5-6无论...都/还是...Reach for 无论...都/还是... when you want to say 'no matter what / how / who, the result stays the same.' It rules out every variation of the condition and locks in one outcome. The first clause names a variable (using a question word like 谁, 什么, 多少, or alternatives like A 还是 B); the second clause uses 都 or 还是 to deliver the unchanging result. Common in policy statements, promises, and stubborn declarations ('no matter how busy I am, I'll come'). Slightly formal but widely used in writing and serious speech.
HSK 5-6是因为...Reach for this when you want to give the reason for something — 'It's because...' The previous sentence (or your conversation partner's question) sets up the situation; 是因为 then drops the cause cleanly at the start of the explanation. It's the Chinese version of starting a reply with 'Because' or 'It's because' in English: short, direct, and natural in speech. Most often used as a standalone reply or as the second half of a two-part statement.
HSK 1正因为 ... 所以 / 反而 ...Reach for this when you want to highlight that the cause matters precisely BECAUSE of what it is — 'it's exactly because of X that Y.' Two flavors: pair with 所以 for an emphatic version of normal cause-and-effect ('precisely because, therefore'), or pair with 反而 for a counter-intuitive twist ('precisely because of X, the OPPOSITE of what you'd expect'). Common in analysis, op-eds, and persuasive writing — anywhere the writer wants to draw a sharp line between a specific cause and a striking result.
HSK 5-6比一个人聪明The most basic Chinese comparison: 'A is more [ADJ] than B.' Reach for this anytime you want to say one thing beats another on some quality — smarter, taller, faster, cheaper. The structure is fixed: subject first, then 比, then what you're comparing against, then the adjective. No 'more,' no 'than,' no 'is' — Chinese drops all the English connective fluff. Master this and you've got the engine behind every comparison sentence in the language.
HSK 1