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.
Structure
[CLAUSE 1]。但是 [CLAUSE 2]。
dànshì...
How to Think About It
但是 is the pivot point — everything before it is setup, everything after is the surprise. Unlike 虽然...但是..., solo 但是 doesn't need a partner: the contrast lives entirely in the 但是 clause. Native speakers often put a comma or a full stop right before 但是 because the pivot deserves a beat — the listener needs that micro-pause to brace for the flip.
Examples
今天很冷，但是我没穿外套。
Jīntiān hěn lěng, dànshì wǒ méi chuān wàitào.
Today is cold, but I didn't wear a jacket.
这家店很有名，但是东西不好吃。
Zhè jiā diàn hěn yǒumíng, dànshì dōngxi bù hǎochī.
This restaurant is famous, but the food isn't good.
我想去，但是我没有时间。
Wǒ xiǎng qù, dànshì wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān.
I want to go, but I don't have time.
Common Mistake
Learners stick 但是 in the middle of a single short clause as if it were the English word 'but'. In Chinese, 但是 introduces a full clause with its own subject and verb — it never glues two adjectives together inside one sentence.
他很聪明但是懒。
他很聪明，但是他很懒。
Don't Confuse With
可是...
Same meaning, slightly softer and more spoken. 可是 feels conversational; 但是 is neutral and works in writing too. In a textbook essay, pick 但是.
虽然...但是...
Use the pair when you want to concede the first point up front ('Although X, but Y'). Solo 但是 just announces a contrast — no concession framing.
不过...
Lighter pushback — closer to 'though' than 'but'. Use 不过 when you are softening, qualifying, or adding a small caveat rather than flipping the direction completely.
Practice
他很有钱，___ 他不快乐。
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但是
我喜欢咖啡，但是 ___ 喜欢茶。 (also negative — 不)
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不
Put in order: [但是 / 我 / 很 / 累 / 还要 / 工作]
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我很累，但是还要工作。
Translate to Chinese: 'The movie is long, but it's very good.'
Show answer
这部电影很长，但是很好看。
Write one sentence about a food you like with a downside, using 但是.
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Example answer: 我很喜欢吃辣的，但是吃多了胃不舒服。 (I love spicy food, but if I eat too much my stomach hurts.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 3 Fluentide episodes: