但是

Character by character

• 但dàn7 strokesHSK 2only; but, however, yet, still
• 是shì9 strokesHSK 1indeed, yes, right; to be; demonstrative pronoun, this, that

Each character links to its stroke order page with a tracing and a writing exercise.

Example sentences

• 但是您有孩子。

  Dàn shì nín yǒu hái zi

  But you have kids.

  Listen

• 但是你有孩子。

  Dàn shì nǐ yǒu hái zi

  But you have kids.

  Listen

• 但是，我不要。

  Dàn shì wǒ bù yào

  But I don't want to.

  Listen

Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR), contributed by their community.

Words with the same characters

These words share at least one character with 但是. Reading them together is how the character starts to stick — the same characters in a different context.

• 是shìHSK 1

  to be (followed by substantives only); correct; right; true; (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well; (adverb for emphatic assertion)

• 但dànHSK 2

  but; yet; however; still; merely; only; just

• 就是jiù shìHSK 3

  exactly; precisely; only; simply; just; (used correlatively with 也) even; even if

• 还是hái shiHSK 1

  still (as before); had better; unexpectedly; or

• 只是zhǐ shìHSK 3

  merely; only; just; nothing but; simply; but; however

• 可是kě shìHSK 2

  but; however; (used for emphasis) indeed

• 是否shì fǒuHSK 4

  whether (or not); if; is or isn't

• 总是zǒng shìHSK 3

  always

• 而是ér shìHSK 4

  rather

• 于是yú shìHSK 4

  thereupon; as a result; consequently; thus; hence

• 正是zhèng shìHSK 2

  is precisely

• 要是yào shiHSK 3

  (coll.) if

• 算是suàn shìHSK 6

  considered to be; at last

• 或是huò shìHSK 5

  or; either one or the other

• 是不是shì bù shìHSK 1

  is or isn't; yes or no; whether or not

• 也就是说yě jiù shì shuōHSK 7

  in other words; that is to say; so; thus

• 不但bù dànHSK 2

  not only (... but also ...)

• 倒是dào shiHSK 5

  contrary to what one might expect; actually; contrariwise; why don't you

• 老是lǎo shiHSK 2

  always

• 但愿dàn yuànHSK 7

  if only (sth were possible); I wish (that)

• 是非shì fēiHSK 7

  right and wrong; quarrel

• 便是biàn shìHSK 6

  (emphasizes that sth is precisely or exactly as stated); precisely; exactly; even; if; just like; in the same way as

• 可不是kě bu shìHSK 7

  that's just the way it is; exactly!

• 凡是fán shìHSK 6

  each and every; every; all; any