除了……以外

Besides … / except …

HSK 3 · 4 examples

Speed

除了 X 以外 can either add X or leave X out — the word after it decides. 还 / 也 / 都 means X is included; 只 / 不 means X is not.

除了汉语以外，还学日语（and Japanese too）／除了他以外，谁都不知道（only he knows）。

Examples

，。

Besides Chinese, she is also learning Japanese.

，。

I work every day except the weekend.

，。

Nobody knows about this except him.

，。

Apart from homework, I've nothing to do in the evening.

以外 is often dropped in speech: 除了他，大家都到了。
Don't reach for 但是 — the 除了 clause comes first and the rest of the sentence follows it.

All 25 words used in the examples above — tap any word in an example to look it up in place. Words above this level are marked new .

除了chú leHSK 3besides; apart from (... also...); in addition to; except (for)
汉语hàn yǔHSK 1Chinese language
以外yǐ wàiHSK 2apart from; other than; except for; external; outside of; on the other side of; beyond
她tāHSK 1she, her
还háiHSK 1still, yet, also, besides
在zàiHSK 1be at, in, on; consist in, rest
学xuéHSK 1learning, knowledge; school
日语rì yǔnewJapanese language
周末zhōu mòHSK 2weekend
我wǒHSK 1our, us, i, me, my, we
每měiHSK 2every, each
天tiānHSK 1sky, heaven; god, celestial
都dōuHSK 1metropolis, capital; all, the whole; elegant, refined
上班shàng bānHSK 1to go to work; to be on duty; to start work; to go to the office
他tāHSK 1other, another; he, she, it
谁shéiHSK 1who? whom? whose? anyone?
不知bù zhīnewnot to know; unaware; unknowingly; fig. not to admit (defeat, hardships, tiredness etc)
道dàoHSK 1path, road, street; method, way
这zhèHSK 1this, the, here
件jiànHSK 2numerary adjunct for article; matter
事shìHSK 1affair, matter, business; to serve; accident, incident
写作xiě zuòHSK 3to write; to compose; writing; written works
业yèHSK 2profession, business; GB radical 111
晚上wǎn shangHSK 1evening; night; in the evening
没什么méi shén meHSK 1nothing; it doesn't matter; it's nothing; never mind