Difference between revisions of "Using "er" to explain contrasting ideas"

Revision as of 21:36, 24 November 2013

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Level

B2 / HSK4
Level

B2
Level

HSK4
Similar to
- Expressing "not only... but also" with "budan... erqie..." (B1)
Similar to
- Expressing "not only... but also" with "budan... erqie..." (HSK3)
Used for

Contrasting, Differentiating
Keywords

而, 而是

The conjunction 而 (ér) is used to connect two sentences that are related to each other, but talk about contrasting ideas or subjects. In this manner, it can be seen as a word meaning "but" or "rather." 而 is often used in a more formal or literary sense, but it is also common in everyday speech.

Structure

Sentence 1, + 而 + Sentence 2

Examples

我们都以为这是他干的，而事实是，他根本不知道这件事情。We all thought this was his task, but the fact is, he simply doesn't know about this topic.
以后后悔的人不是我，而是你自己。The regretful person isn't me. It's you.
现在要做的不是责怪谁错了，而是怎么解决。Now is not the time to accuse who did it wrong, but to figure out how to resolve it.
我喜欢中国菜，而他不喜欢。I like Chinese food, but he does not.

Sources and Further Reading

Books

Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 343-4) →buy
卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (pp. 128, 200) →buy

Websites

Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Usage of 而

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 The conjunction 而 (ér) is used to connect two sentences that are related to each other, but talk about contrasting ideas or subjects. In this manner, it can be seen as a word meaning "but" or "rather." 而 is often used in a more formal or literary sense, but it is also common in everyday speech.