although; feel free to
HSK level
尽管 is written with 20 strokes (尽: 6, 管: 14). The animation replays automatically.
尽管 (jǐnguǎn) has two distinct uses that surprise learners.
As a conjunction it means 'although / even though,' introducing a concession, and it typically pairs with 但是 (dànshì) or 还是 (háishì) in the second clause: 尽管很累，但是我很开心 ('although I'm tired, I'm still happy'). As an adverb it means 'go ahead and… without hesitation / feel free to,' urging someone to act freely: 有问题尽管问 ('if you have questions, just ask, don't hold back'). The two senses are told apart by position and context.
Unlike English 'although,' which is only concessive, 尽管's second, encouraging sense has no direct English one-word equivalent — you render it with 'feel free to' or 'go ahead.' It is more formal and emphatic than 虽然 (suīrán) in the concessive sense.
Note: The 'go ahead / feel free to' adverb use is warm and encouraging, common in service and hospitality speech.
Character by character
Memory hook: 尽 (to the utmost) + 管 (mind) → 'never mind, go to the utmost' → both 'even though' and 'go right ahead.'
尽管很晚了，他还在工作。
Jǐnguǎn hěn wǎn le, tā hái zài gōngzuò.
Even though it's late, he's still working.
neutral
有什么需要，你尽管说。
Yǒu shénme xūyào, nǐ jǐnguǎn shuō.
If you need anything, just go ahead and say it.
spoken
尽管天气不好，比赛还是照常进行。
Jǐnguǎn tiānqì bù hǎo, bǐsài háishì zhàocháng jìnxíng.
Despite the bad weather, the match went ahead as usual.
written
钱不是问题，你尽管用。
Qián bú shì wèntí, nǐ jǐnguǎn yòng.
Money's not an issue, feel free to use it.
spoken
Both mean 'although.' 虽然 is the everyday, neutral concessive conjunction; 尽管 is slightly stronger and more formal, emphasizing that the concession holds even to an extreme. 尽管 also has the extra 'feel free to' meaning that 虽然 lacks.
即使 means 'even if' — it introduces a hypothetical, unrealized condition. 尽管 introduces a real, factual concession. 尽管下雨 = 'although it IS raining'; 即使下雨 = 'even if it were to rain.'
Acquire it by listening
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