Contrastive Topic in Chinese

Grammar Point:
In Mandarin Chinese, a contrastive topic is used when a speaker highlights one topic in order to contrast it with another possible topic, often implying something like “as for X (but not necessarily Y)…”. This structure is very common in spoken Chinese.

Structure

Topic A + Comment A (+ Topic B + Comment B)

我wǒ，喜歡xǐhuān咖啡kāfēi；他tā，喜歡xǐhuān茶chá我wǒ，喜欢xǐhuan咖啡kāfēi；他tā，喜欢xǐhuan茶chá
As for me, I like coffee; as for him, he likes tea.

中文zhōngwén，我wǒ會huì說shuō一點yìdiǎn；寫作xiězuò，不bú太tài行xíng中文zhōngwén，我wǒ会huì说shuō一点儿yìdiǎnr；写作xiězuò，不bú太tài行xíng
Chinese speaking I can do a bit; writing is not very good.

台北táiběi，我wǒ很hěn熟shóu，台中táizhōng，就jiù比較bǐjiào不bù熟shóu台北táiběi，我wǒ很hěn熟shú，台中táizhōng，就jiù比较bǐjiào不bù熟shú
Taipei I know well; Taichung, less so.

菜cài，我wǒok，服務fúwù，我wǒ不bú太tàiokok菜cài，我wǒokok，服务fúwù，我wǒ不bú太tàiok
I like the food, but I don’t like the service.

This structure is extremely common in spoken Chinese and is often expressed using with 呢 ne, 的話话 de huà, or 至於于 zhìyú.

咖啡kāfēi呢ne，我wǒ喜歡xǐhuān喝hē熱rè的de；茶chá呢ne，我wǒ喜歡xǐhuān冰bīng的de咖啡kāfēi呢ne，我wǒ喜欢xǐhuan喝hē热rè的de；茶chá呢ne，我wǒ喜欢xǐhuan冰bīng的de
Coffee, I like hot; tea, I like iced.

價格jiàgé的話dehuà，我wǒ覺得juéde還hái可以kěyǐ价格jiàgé的话dehuà，我wǒ觉得juéde还hái可以kěyǐ
As for the price, I think it’s okay.

至於zhìyú環境háijìng問題wèntí，我們wǒmen需要xūyào更gèng多duō時間shíjiān討論tǎolùn至于zhìyú环境háijìng问题wèntí，我们wǒmen需要xūyào更gèng多duō时间shíjiān讨论tǎolùn
As for environmental issues, we need more time to discuss them.

他tā人rén很好hěnhǎo，工作gōngzuò能力nénglì呢ní，比較bǐjiào一般yìbān他tā人rén很好hěnhǎo，工作gōngzuò能力nénglì呢ní，比较bǐjiào一般yìbān
He is nice, but his work ability is average.