Definition
可是 (kě shì) is the most common, everyday way to say 'but' in spoken Chinese, introducing a contrast or unexpected result. It is more conversational than 但是 (dàn shì), which is neutral and works in both speech and writing; 只是 (zhǐ shì) and 不过 (bù guò) are softer ('only, but then again'), while 然而 (rán ér) is formal/literary.
conjunction
buthowever
Examples
- ，可是。Jīntiān tiānqì hěn hǎo, kě shì wǒ bù néng chūqù.The weather is nice today, but I can't go out.
- ，可是。Tā xuéxí hěn nǔlì, kě shì chéngjì háishì bú tài hǎo.He studies very hard, but his grades are still not great.
- ，可是。Wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhè běn shū, kě shì tài guì le.I want to buy this book, but it's too expensive.
Grammar
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