Definition
只不过 is a conjunction meaning 'only' or 'just' — it introduces a fact that the speaker wants to downplay as minor or not worth overemphasizing. It often carries a slight concessive or contrastive tone: 'it's just that...' or 'except that...'. You can think of it as 'but merely' — it doesn't negate the previous clause but adds a limiting point. It is similar to 只是 but slightly stronger in downplaying.
conj.
onlyjustmerely (used to introduce a limiting or concessive point)
Examples
- ，只不过。Tā chéngjì hěn hǎo, zhǐ bù guò yīngyǔ chà yìdiǎn.His grades are good — it's just that his English is a bit weak.
- ，只不过。Wǒ bú shì bù xiǎng qù, zhǐ bù guò shíjiān tài jǐn le.It's not that I don't want to go — it's just that time is too tight.
- ，只不过。Zhè bù diànyǐng hái búcuò, zhǐ bù guò jiéwěi yǒudiǎn tūrán.This movie is pretty good, except the ending is a bit abrupt.
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