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“But” in Chinese 3 – 不過/不过 búguò

Posted on August 17, 2026August 17, 2026 by tiffany

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  • 1 Structure
    • Clause 1 + 不過不过 búguò + Clause 2
  • 2 但是 vs 可是 vs 不過不过
  • 3 Practice

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Grammar · HSK 4
Grammar Point · HSK 4

不過不过 búguò — “But”

不過不过 búguò is the softest of the three “but” words. It’s casual, a little more relaxed, and often used to gently soften a contrast rather than push back hard against it.

不過 búguò Chinese grammar

不過不过 búguò works the same slot as 但是 dànshì and 可是 kěshì, but it’s the mildest of the three — more common in casual conversation than in formal writing, and often used to add a small qualifier rather than a hard contradiction.

1 Structure

Clause 1 + 不過不过 búguò + Clause 2

Same slot as the other two — say what’s true first, then use 不過不过 búguò to add a lighter, softer contrast.

這本zhè běn書shū有點yǒudiǎn貴guì,不過búguò很多人hěnduō rén推薦tuījiàn这本zhè běn书shū有点儿yǒudiǎnr贵guì,不过búguò很多人hěnduō rén推荐tuījiàn
This book is a bit expensive, but many people recommend it.
我wǒ也yě想xiǎng去qù你的nǐde派對pàiduì,不過búguò我wǒ真的zhēnde不bù想xiǎng見到jiàndào他tā我wǒ也yě想xiǎng去qù你的nǐde派对pàiduì,不过búguò我wǒ真的zhēnde不bù想xiǎng见到jiàndào他tā
I also want to go to your party, but I really don’t want to see him.
狗gǒu真的zhēnde很hěn可愛kěài,不過búguò還是háishì有yǒu很hěn頭痛tóutòng的de時候shíhòu狗gǒu真的zhēnde很hěn可爱kěài,不过búguò还是háishì有yǒu很hěn头痛tóutòng的de时候shíhou
Dogs are really cute, but they can still be a handful sometimes.
我wǒ不能bùnéng給gěi你nǐ錢qián,不過búguò我wǒ可以kěyǐ教jiāo你nǐ怎麼zěnme賺錢zhuànqián我wǒ不能bùnéng给gěi你nǐ钱qián,不过búguò我wǒ可以kěyǐ教jiāo你nǐ怎么zěnme挣钱zhèngqián
I can’t give you money, but I can teach you how to make money.
我wǒ知道zhīdào健身jiànshēn很hěn重要zhòngyào,不過búguò我wǒ還是háishì比較bǐjiào想xiǎng耍廢shuǎfèi我wǒ知道zhīdào健身jiànshēn很hěn重要zhòngyào,不过búguò我wǒ还是háishì比较bǐjiào想xiǎng耍废shuǎfèi
I know working out is important, but I’d still rather be lazy.
Slang Corner

耍廢废 shuǎfèi is casual, spoken-style slang for lounging around doing nothing productive — think lying on the couch all day in pajamas, scrolling your phone, and avoiding any responsibility. It’s playful and a little self-deprecating, very common among younger speakers in Taiwan, and shows up constantly in everyday chat. You’ll often hear it as 想耍廢废 xiǎng shuǎfèi (“want to be lazy”) or 耍廢废一整天 shuǎfèi yìzhěngtiān (“lazing around all day”).

這間zhè jiān公司gōngsī福利fúlì不錯búcuò,不過búguò工時gōngshí長到chángdào嚇人xiàrén这间zhè jiān公司gōngsī福利fúlì不错búcuò,不过búguò工时gōngshí长到chángdào吓人xiàrén
This company’s benefits are pretty good, but the working hours are terrifyingly long.
減肥jiǎnféi很hěn痛苦tòngkǔ,不過búguò看到kàndào成果chéngguǒ就jiù值得zhíde了le减肥jiǎnféi很hěn痛苦tòngkǔ,不过búguò看到kàndào成果chéngguǒ就jiù值得zhíde了le
Losing weight is painful, but seeing the results makes it worth it.

2 但是 vs 可是 vs 不過不过

All three translate as “but,” but they sit at different points on the same scale.

但是 dànshì 可是 kěshì 不過不过 búguò
Tone Neutral, all-purpose More conversational, can carry emotion Softest, most casual
Strength of contrast Standard Standard to strong Mild — more of a qualifier than a pushback
Register Spoken and written Spoken and written, leans spoken Mostly spoken and casual writing
Shortened form 但 dàn 可 kě No common short form
Choosing Between the Three

If you only learn one, 但是 dànshì is the safe, all-purpose choice — it works almost everywhere. Reach for 可是 kěshì when the contrast comes with a bit of feeling behind it, like frustration or disbelief. Reach for 不過不过 búguò when you want to soften the blow — adding a small caveat rather than flatly contradicting what you just said.

3 Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese using 不過不过 búguò, then tap the card to check your answer.

01This apartment is a bit small, but the location is great.
這間zhè jiān公寓gōngyù有點yǒudiǎn小xiǎo,不過búguò地點dìdiǎn很好hěn hǎo这间zhè jiān公寓gōngyù有点yǒudiǎn小xiǎo,不过búguò地点dìdiǎn很好hěn hǎo
👆 Tap to reveal
02He talks a lot, but he’s not a bad person.
他tā話huà很hěn多duō,不過búguò人rén不壞bú huài他tā话huà很hěn多duō,不过búguò人rén不坏bú huài
👆 Tap to reveal
03The line was long, but it moved pretty fast.
隊伍duìwu很hěn長cháng,不過búguò移動yídòng得de很快hěn kuài队伍duìwu很hěn长cháng,不过búguò移动yídòng得de很快hěn kuài
👆 Tap to reveal
04I don’t really like coffee, but I’ll drink one cup with you.
我wǒ不太bútài喜歡xǐhuān咖啡kāfēi,不過búguò我wǒ可以kěyǐ跟gēn你nǐ喝hē一杯yìbēi我wǒ不太bútài喜欢xǐhuan咖啡kāfēi,不过búguò我wǒ可以kěyǐ跟gēn你nǐ喝hē一杯yìbēi
👆 Tap to reveal
05The traffic was bad, but we still made it on time.
交通jiāotōng很hěn塞sè,不過búguò我們wǒmen還是háishì準時zhǔnshí到dào了le交通jiāotōng很hěn堵dǔ,不过búguò我们wǒmen还是háishì准时zhǔnshí到dào了le
👆 Tap to reveal
06The hotel is old, but it’s very clean.
這家zhè jiā飯店fàndiàn有點yǒudiǎn舊jiù,不過búguò很hěn乾淨gānjìng这家zhè jiā酒店jiǔdiàn有点yǒudiǎn旧jiù,不过búguò很hěn干净gānjìng
👆 Tap to reveal
07I’m not an expert, but I can try to help.
我wǒ不是búshì專家zhuānjiā,不過búguò我wǒ可以kěyǐ試著shìzhe幫忙bāngmáng我wǒ不是búshì专家zhuānjiā,不过búguò我wǒ可以kěyǐ试着shìzhe帮忙bāngmáng
👆 Tap to reveal
08The soup is a little salty, but overall it’s not bad.
這碗zhè wǎn湯tāng有點yǒudiǎn鹹xián,不過búguò整體zhěngtǐ來說láishuō還不錯hái búcuò这碗zhè wǎn汤tāng有点yǒudiǎn咸xián,不过búguò整体zhěngtǐ来说láishuō还不错hái búcuò
👆 Tap to reveal

Related Grammar

→但是 dànshì — “But”(HSK 2) →可是 kěshì — “But”(HSK 3) →然而 rán’ér — “However”(HSK 4)

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