Difference between revisions of "Expressing contrariness with "dao""

 
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倒 (dào) can be used to express something is contrary to expectations, acting as a turning point in the sentence. It is generally followed by a positive comment.
 
倒 (dào) can be used to express something is contrary to expectations, acting as a turning point in the sentence. It is generally followed by a positive comment.
  
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=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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Sometimes "actually" works well in translations to indicate the contrast between expectation and reality.
  
 
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*我 帮 他, <em>倒</em> 不是 因为 喜欢 他,是因为 他 工作 很 努力 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bāng tā, <em>dào</em> bùshì yīnwèi xǐhuan tā, shì yīnwèi tā gōngzuò hěn nǔlì.</span><span class="trans">I helped him not because I liked him, but because he worked very hard.</span>
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*我 帮 他, <em>倒</em> 不 是 因为 喜欢 他,是 因为 他 工作 很 努力 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bāng tā, <em>dào</em> bù shì yīnwèi xǐhuan tā, shì yīnwèi tā gōngzuò hěn nǔlì.</span><span class="trans">I helped him not because I liked him, but because he worked very hard.</span>
*他 不 是 很 努力 ,成绩 <em>倒</em> 也 不错 。<span class="pinyin">Tā bùshì hěn nǔlì, chéngjī <em>dào</em> yě bùcuò.</span><span class="trans">He's not very hard-working, but his score isn't bad.</span>
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*他 不 是 很 努力 ,成绩 <em>倒</em> 也 不错 。<span class="pinyin">Tā bù shì hěn nǔlì, chéngjì <em>dào</em> yě bùcuò.</span><span class="trans">He's not very hard-working, but his scores also aren't bad.</span>
*已经 是 春天 了,<em>倒</em> 又 冷 起来 了。<span class="pinyin">Yǐjīng shì chūntiān le, <em>dào</em> yòu lěng qǐlái le.</span><span class="trans">It's already spring, but it's getting cold.</span>
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*已经 是 春天 了,<em>倒</em> 又 冷 起来 了。<span class="pinyin">Yǐjīng shì chūntiān le, <em>dào</em> yòu lěng qǐlái le.</span><span class="trans">It's already spring, but it's actually getting colder.</span>
*不 吃 药 ,病 <em>倒</em> 慢慢 好 了。<span class="pinyin">Bù chī yào, bìng <em>dào</em> màn man hǎo le.</span><span class="trans">I didn't take any medicine, but I'm getting better.</span>
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*不 吃 药 ,病 <em>倒</em> 慢慢 好 了。<span class="pinyin">Bù chī yào, bìng <em>dào</em> mànman hǎo le.</span><span class="trans">Without taking any medicine, I'm actually slowly getting better.</span>
*英语 不 是 他 的 母语 ,他 说 得 <em>倒</em> 挺 地道 的 。<span class="pinyin">Yīngyǔ bùshì tā de mǔyǔ, tā shuō <em>dào</em> tǐng dìdào de.</span><span class="trans">English is not his mother language, but he speaks quite like a native speaker.</span>
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*英语 不 是 他 的 母语 ,他 说 得 <em>倒</em> 挺 地道 的 。<span class="pinyin">Yīngyǔ bù shì tā de mǔyǔ, tā shuō de <em>dào</em> tǐng dìdao de.</span><span class="trans">English is not his mother language, but he speaks quite native-like.</span>
  
 
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=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
倒 can also be used to express a concession, mostly emphasizing the positive side. 就是、但是、可是、不过 is often used to emphasize undesirable things.
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倒 can also be used to express a concession, mostly emphasizing the positive side. 就是、但是、可是、不过 are often used to precede the undesirable reality the speaker is calling attention to.
  
 
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*我 <em>倒</em> 是 想 去 旅游 ,<strong>但是</strong> 现在 太 忙 了,没有 时间 。
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*我 <em>倒</em> 是 想 去 旅游 ,<strong>但是</strong> 现在 太 忙 了,没有 时间 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>dào</em> shì xiǎng qù lǚyóu, dànshì xiànzài tài máng le, méiyǒu shíjiān.</span><span class="trans">I do want to go on a trip, but I am too busy to do so now.</span>
*这 篇 文章 的 内容 <em>倒</em> 不错 ,<strong>就是</strong> 太 长 了 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè piān wénzhāng de nèiróng <em>dào</em> bùcuò, <strong>jiùshì</strong> tài chǎng le.</span><span class="trans">The content of this article is great, but it's a little too long.</span>
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*这 篇 文章 的 内容 <em>倒</em> 不错 ,<strong>就是</strong> 太 长 了 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè piān wénzhāng de nèiróng <em>dào</em> bùcuò, <strong>jiùshì</strong> tài cháng le.</span><span class="trans">The content of this article is great, but it's just too long.</span>
*这 件 衣服 的 样式 和 大小 <em>倒</em> 都 合适 ,<strong>可是</strong> 我 不 喜欢 这 个 颜色 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfú de yàngshì hé dàxiǎo <em>dào</em> dōu héshì, <strong>kěshì</strong> wǒ bù xǐhuān zhè gè yánsè.</span><span class="trans">The style and size if this piece of clothes fit me well, but I don't like its color.</span>
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*这 件 衣服 的 样式 和 大小 <em>倒</em> 都 合适 ,<strong>可是</strong> 我 不 喜欢 这 个 颜色 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu de yàngshì hé dàxiǎo <em>dào</em> dōu héshì, <strong>kěshì</strong> wǒ bù xǐhuan zhège yánsè.</span><span class="trans">The style and size of this piece of clothing actually work well, but I don't like the color.</span>
*你们 的 服务 <em>倒</em> 不错 ,<strong>但是</strong> 对 我 来说 太 贵 了 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen de fúwù <em>dào</em> bùcuò, <strong>dànshì</strong> duì wǒ lái shuō tài guì le.</span><span class="trans">Your service is great, but it's too expensive to me.</span>
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*你们 的 服务 <em>倒</em> 不错 ,<strong>但是</strong> 对 我 来说 太 贵 了 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen de fúwù <em>dào</em> bùcuò, <strong>dànshì</strong> duì wǒ lái shuō tài guì le.</span><span class="trans">Your service is great, but it's too expensive for me.</span>
*我 <em>倒</em> 想 陪 你 一起 去 ,<strong>不过</strong> 要 等 到 周末 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>dào</em> xiǎng péi nǐ yīqǐ qù, <strong>bùguò</strong> yào děngdào zhōumò.</span><span class="trans">I want to come with you, but you need to wait until this weekend.</span>
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*我 <em>倒</em> 想 陪 你 一起 去 ,<strong>不过</strong> 要 等 到 周末 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>dào</em> xiǎng péi nǐ yīqǐ qù, <strong>bùguò</strong> yào děngdào zhōumò.</span><span class="trans">I really would like to go with you, but you would need to wait until the weekend.</span>
  
 
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For more on [[倒]], be sure to check our C1 (advanced) grammar point on [[Expressing contrariness with "dao"|expressing contrariness with 倒]].
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For more on [[倒]], be sure to check our C1 grammar point on even more [[Advanced usages of the contrary "dao"|advanced uses of 倒]].
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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{{Similar|"On the Contrary" with "fan'er"}}
 
{{Similar|"On the Contrary" with "fan'er"}}
 
{{Similar|Conceding a Point with "shi"}}
 
{{Similar|Conceding a Point with "shi"}}
{{Similar|Expressing contrariness with "dao"}}
 
 
{{Used for|Contrasting}}
 
{{Used for|Contrasting}}
 
{{Structure|"But" Statements}}
 
{{Structure|"But" Statements}}
 
{{Translation|however}}
 
{{Translation|however}}

Latest revision as of 06:44, 17 December 2020

倒 (dào) can be used to express something is contrary to expectations, acting as a turning point in the sentence. It is generally followed by a positive comment.

Using 倒 as "However"

倒 can be used to express an unexpected situation. Note that 倒 is often followed by 也 or 又 to add further emphasis.

Structure

⋯⋯ ,Subj. + 倒 + (也 / 又) ⋯⋯

Examples

Sometimes "actually" works well in translations to indicate the contrast between expectation and reality.

  • 我 帮 他, 不 是 因为 喜欢 他,是 因为 他 工作 很 努力 。Wǒ bāng tā, dào bù shì yīnwèi xǐhuan tā, shì yīnwèi tā gōngzuò hěn nǔlì.I helped him not because I liked him, but because he worked very hard.
  • 他 不 是 很 努力 ,成绩 也 不错 。Tā bù shì hěn nǔlì, chéngjì dào yě bùcuò.He's not very hard-working, but his scores also aren't bad.
  • 已经 是 春天 了, 又 冷 起来 了。Yǐjīng shì chūntiān le, dào yòu lěng qǐlái le.It's already spring, but it's actually getting colder.
  • 不 吃 药 ,病 慢慢 好 了。Bù chī yào, bìng dào mànman hǎo le.Without taking any medicine, I'm actually slowly getting better.
  • 英语 不 是 他 的 母语 ,他 说 得 挺 地道 的 。Yīngyǔ bù shì tā de mǔyǔ, tā shuō de dào tǐng dìdao de.English is not his mother language, but he speaks quite native-like.

Using 倒 as "Despite"

Structure

倒 can also be used to express a concession, mostly emphasizing the positive side. 就是、但是、可是、不过 are often used to precede the undesirable reality the speaker is calling attention to.

Subj. + 倒 ⋯⋯ ,不过 / 但是 / 就是 ⋯⋯

Examples

  • 是 想 去 旅游 ,但是 现在 太 忙 了,没有 时间 。dào shì xiǎng qù lǚyóu, dànshì xiànzài tài máng le, méiyǒu shíjiān.I do want to go on a trip, but I am too busy to do so now.
  • 这 篇 文章 的 内容 不错 ,就是 太 长 了 。Zhè piān wénzhāng de nèiróng dào bùcuò, jiùshì tài cháng le.The content of this article is great, but it's just too long.
  • 这 件 衣服 的 样式 和 大小 都 合适 ,可是 我 不 喜欢 这 个 颜色 。Zhè jiàn yīfu de yàngshì hé dàxiǎo dào dōu héshì, kěshì wǒ bù xǐhuan zhège yánsè.The style and size of this piece of clothing actually work well, but I don't like the color.
  • 你们 的 服务 不错 ,但是 对 我 来说 太 贵 了 。Nǐmen de fúwù dào bùcuò, dànshì duì wǒ lái shuō tài guì le.Your service is great, but it's too expensive for me.
  • 想 陪 你 一起 去 ,不过 要 等 到 周末 。dào xiǎng péi nǐ yīqǐ qù, bùguò yào děngdào zhōumò.I really would like to go with you, but you would need to wait until the weekend.

For more on , be sure to check our C1 grammar point on even more advanced uses of 倒.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books