Although in Chinese – Suīrán

Posted on by tiffany

OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 2
Grammar Point · HSK 2

虽然 suīrán — “Although”

虽然 suīrán is the most common way to say “although” in Chinese. It usually opens the sentence or clause, and — unlike English, where “but” is optional — Chinese always needs a matching 但是 dànshì, 可是 kěshì, or 还是 háishì later in the sentence.

Although in Chinese 雖然 suīrán

虽然 suīrán pairs with two different follow-ups depending on what you want to say: 但是 dànshì / 可是 kěshì for a straightforward contrast, or 还是 háishì to show that the second clause holds true anyway, despite the first.

1 Structure

虽然 suīrán is flexible about where it sits: it can open the whole sentence, or slot in right after the subject — both are natural, and the choice mostly comes down to emphasis or flow. You can see both patterns across the examples below.

虽然 suīrán ⋯⋯，但是 dànshì / 可是 kěshì ⋯⋯

This means “although…, but…”. In English, the “but” can often be dropped — in Chinese, 但是 dànshì or 可是 kěshì is required to mark the contrast.

虽然suīrán你nǐ是shì我wǒ妈妈māma，但是dànshì你nǐ不能bùnéng决定juédìng我的wǒde人生rénshēng
Although you are my mother, you cannot decide my life.
他tā虽然suīrán是shì美国人měiguórén，可是kěshì中文zhōngwén说shuō得de很hěn好hǎo
Even though he is American, he speaks Chinese very well.
那nà家jiā餐馆cānguǎn虽然suīrán不bù便宜piányi，但是dànshì超chāo多duō人rén推荐tuījiàn
Even though that restaurant isn’t cheap, it’s highly recommended by many people.
我wǒ虽然suīrán没méi说话shuōhuà，但是dànshì不bú代表dàibiǎo我wǒ同意tóngyì
Just because I didn’t say anything doesn’t mean I agree.
新xīn工作gōngzuò虽然suīrán压力yālì很hěn大dà，可是kěshì薪水xīnshuǐ也yě高gāo很多hěnduō
Although the new job has a lot of pressure, the salary is much higher.
那nà家jiā餐馆cānguǎn虽然suīránGoogle有yǒu5颗kē星xīng，可是kěshì是shì洗xǐ出来chūlái的de
Although that restaurant has a 5-star rating on Google, it’s a paid review.
Cultural Note: 洗评价 xǐ píngjià

Checking Google reviews before trying a restaurant or shop is standard practice in Taiwan, and some businesses have found a workaround: offer a discount in exchange for a 5-star review. Since Google lets a review be edited or deleted, a batch of glowing new ratings can bury or push out older complaints — a practice locals nickname 洗评价 xǐ píngjià, literally “washing the reviews.” It’s a good reminder to read a few reviews in detail rather than trusting the star average alone.

虽然 suīrán ⋯⋯，还是 háishì ⋯⋯

This means “although…, still…”. It shows that even though the first clause is true, the second clause or result holds anyway.

虽然suīrán今天jīntiān天气tiānqì很hěn热rè，还是háishì有yǒu很多hěnduō人rén出来chūlái玩儿wánr
Although it’s very hot today, there are still many people out having fun.
你的nǐde工作gōngzuò经验jīngyàn虽然suīrán很好hěnhǎo，我们wǒmen还是háishì觉得juéde有点儿yǒudiǎnr超出chāochū预算yùsuàn
Even though you have great work experience, we still feel it’s a bit beyond our budget.
虽然suīrán我wǒ觉得juéde英文yīngwén很hěn难nán学xué，还是háishì不能bùnéng摆烂bǎilàn
Although I find English hard to learn, I still can’t just give up on it.
Slang Note: 摆烂 bǎilàn

摆烂 bǎilàn is casual Taiwanese slang for deliberately coasting — putting in the bare minimum, or checking out of a responsibility entirely rather than trying to fix it. It’s broader than “being lazy”: it carries a note of “I know this is a mess and I’m choosing not to deal with it,” and gets used for anything from schoolwork to relationships to a losing sports team that’s stopped trying.

虽然suīrán我wǒ常常chángcháng想要xiǎngyào辞职cízhí，考虑kǎolǜ到dào现实xiànshí，还是háishì忍rěn下来xiàlái了le
Although I often think about quitting, considering the reality, I still hold back and do nothing.
金牛座Jīnniúzuò的de我wǒ虽然suīrán很hěn爱吃àichī，还是háishì很hěn注重zhùzhòng身材shēncái
As a Taurus, although I love eating, I still watch my figure.

2 Common Mistakes

In English, “but” is optional after “although.” In Chinese, it isn’t.

❌
虽然suīrán你nǐ是shì我wǒ妈妈māma，你nǐ不能bùnéng决定juédìng我的wǒde人生rénshēng
✅
虽然suīrán你nǐ是shì我wǒ妈妈māma，但是dànshì你nǐ不能bùnéng决定juédìng我的wǒde人生rénshēng
English can drop “but” after “although,” but Chinese always needs 但是 dànshì, 可是 kěshì, or 还是 háishì to mark the contrast — leaving it out makes the sentence feel incomplete.
Which one — 但是 dànshì / 可是 kěshì / 还是 háishì?

The choice depends on what kind of contrast you’re making. For a plain “but,” see the site’s dedicated breakdown of 但是 dànshì, 可是 kěshì, and 不过 búguò: “But” in Chinese →

3 Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01Although I have a different opinion from yours, your ideas are also very good.
我wǒ想xiǎng的de虽然suīrán跟gēn你的nǐde不bù一样yíyàng，但是dànshì你的nǐde想法xiǎngfǎ也yě很hěn好hǎo
👆 Tap to reveal
02Although my stomach hurts a little, I don’t want to cancel the appointment.
虽然suīrán肚子dùzi有点yǒudiǎn痛tòng，可是kěshì我wǒ不bù想xiǎng取消qǔxiāo约会yuēhuì
👆 Tap to reveal
03Although you say it’s okay, I still feel very sorry.
虽然suīrán你nǐ说shuō没关系méiguānxi，我wǒ还是háishì觉得juéde很hěn抱歉bàoqiàn
👆 Tap to reveal
04Although it’s raining, we still want to go out.
虽然suīrán在zài下雨xiàyǔ，我们wǒmen还是háishì想xiǎng出去chūqù
👆 Tap to reveal
05Although the coffee is expensive, it’s really delicious.
虽然suīrán咖啡kāfēi很hěn贵guì，但是dànshì很hěn好喝hǎohē
👆 Tap to reveal
06Although he’s tired, he still finished his homework.
虽然suīrán他tā很hěn累lèi，还是háishì把bǎ作业zuòyè做完zuòwán了le
👆 Tap to reveal
07Although I don’t have money, I am very happy.
虽然suīrán我wǒ没有méiyǒu钱qián，但是dànshì我wǒ很hěn快乐kuàilè
👆 Tap to reveal
08Although this dress is pretty, it’s too small.
虽然suīrán这zhè件jiàn衣服yīfu很hěn漂亮piàoliang，可是kěshì太tài小xiǎo了le
👆 Tap to reveal
09Although the weather is cold, the children still want to play outside.
虽然suīrán天气tiānqì很hěn冷lěng，孩子们háizimen还是háishì想xiǎng在zài外面wàimiàn玩儿wánr
👆 Tap to reveal
10Although he’s busy, he still calls his mom every day.
虽然suīrán他tā很hěn忙máng，还是háishì每天měitiān打电话dǎdiànhuà给gěi妈妈māma
👆 Tap to reveal

Related Grammar

→All different 然 rán in Chinese

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