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

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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.
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The conjunction [[]] (ér) is used to connect two sentences that are related to each other, and is also frequently used to emphasize contrast between two parts of the sentence. In this manner, it can be seen as a word meaning "but rather." 而 is often used in a more formal or literary sense, but is also common in everyday speech.
  
==Structure==
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== Start with 是 ==
 +
 
 +
Frequently you'll see the pattern in one of these two more specific forms involving the verb [[是]]:
 +
 
 +
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Sentence 1, + 而 + Sentence 2
+
不是……,而是……
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
As you can see, 而 comes between the two to heighten the contrast.
+
<div class="jiegou">
 +
 
 +
是……,而不是……
 +
 
 +
</div>
  
Frequently you'll see the pattern in one of these two more specific forms:
+
Strictly speaking, the 而 isn't ''required'' in either of these patterns, but it makes the contrast super clear.
  
<div class="jiegou">
+
=== Examples ===
  
不是……,而是……
+
<div class="liju">
 +
* 以后 后悔 的 人 不 是 我,<em>而</em> 是 你 自己。<span class="trans">The regretful person isn't me. It's you.</span>
 +
* 现在 要 做 的 不 是 责怪 谁 错 了,<em>而</em> 是 怎么 解决。<span class="trans">Now is not the time to accuse who did it wrong, but to figure out how to resolve it.</span>
 +
*我 没 说 <em>不 是</em>  想 骗 你 ,<em>而 是</em> 怕 你 不 高兴 。<span class="trans">The reason I didn't tell you isn't that I wanted to lie to you; it's that I was afraid you would be upset.</span>
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*我 <em>不 是</em> 不 想 帮 你 ,<em>而 是</em> 没有 能力 帮 你 。<span class="trans">It's not that I don't want to help you, it's that I have no ability to help you.</span>
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*重要 的 <em>不是</em> 你 的 外表 ,<em>而是</em> 你 的 内心 。<span class="trans">What's important is not how you look on the outside, but rather what's on the inside.</span>
 +
*生活 中 <em>不是</em> 缺少 美 ,<em>而是</em> 缺少 发现 美 的 眼睛 。<span class="trans">It's not that life is lacking in beauty, but rather that we lack eyes that discover it.</span>
 +
*我们 <em>是</em> 来 办事 的 ,<em>不是</em> 来 玩 的 。<span class="trans">We're here to do our job, not to have fun.</span>
 +
*你 这样 做 <em>是</em> 害 他 ,<em>不是</em> 帮 他 。<span class="trans">By doing this you were hurting him, not helping him.</span>
 +
*不好意思 ,我 <em>是</em> 不 小心 ,<em>不是</em> 故意 的 。<span class="trans">I'm sorry. It was an accident. It wasn't on purpose.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
 +
== Generalized Pattern ==
 +
 +
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
是……,而不是……
+
Sentence 1, + 而 + Sentence 2
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==Examples==
+
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 我们 都 以为 这 是 他 干 的,<em>而</em> 事实 是,他 根本 知道 这 件 事情。<span class="trans">We all thought this was his task, but the fact is, he simply doesn't know about this topic.</span>
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* 我 今天 去 你 家 找 你 了,<em>而</em> 在 家。<span class="trans">I am going to your home to find you today, and you are not at home. </span>
* 以后 后悔 的 人 不 是 我,<em>而</em> 自己。<span class="trans">The regretful person isn't me. It's you.</span>
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* 孩子 发烧 很 严重,<em>而</em> 你 一点 都 不 关心。<span class="trans">Your child has a very hot fever,but  you must not care. </span>
* 现在 要 做 的 不 是 责怪 谁 错 了,<em>而</em> 是 怎么 解决。<span class="trans">Now is not the time to accuse who did it wrong, but to figure out how to resolve it.</span>
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* 她 在 公司 很 受 欢迎,<em>而</em> 我 并 不 喜欢 她。<span class="trans">She is very popular at the company, but I don't like her. </span>
* 我 喜欢 中国 菜,<em>而</em> 他 不 喜欢。<span class="trans">I like Chinese food, but he does not.</span>
 
* 我<em>不是</em> 没打电话,<em>而</em>是电话没打通。
 
* 我和你说了这么多,<em>而</em>你却听他的,太让我伤心了。
 
* <em>是</em>我<em>而不是</em>他决定公司的事情。
 
*我们<em>是</em>夏天<em>而不是</em>冬天去的上海。
 
* 我们约好下午三点见面,<em>而</em>他却忘了。
 
* 我<em>不是</em>不喜欢吃蛋炒饭,<em>而</em>是你做的不好吃。
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
 +
As you can see, 而 comes between the two to heighten the contrast.
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
  
 +
*[["On the contrary" with "fan'er"]]
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*[[Conceding a point with "shi"]]
 
*[[Expressing "not only… but also"]]
 
*[[Expressing "not only… but also"]]
 
*[[Two words for "but"]]
 
*[[Two words for "but"]]
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===Books===
 
===Books===
  
 +
{{Source|HSK Standard Course 4上|22}}
 
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1|343-4}}
 
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1|343-4}}
 
{{Source|卓越汉语-公司实战篇|128, 200}}
 
{{Source|卓越汉语-公司实战篇|128, 200}}
 +
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1|277}}
 +
{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)|20}}
 +
{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册)|516}}
  
 
===Websites===
 
===Websites===
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[[Category:B2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B2 grammar points]]
 +
{{HSK|HSK4}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|而|B2|Sentence 1, + 而 + Sentence 2|以后 后悔 的 人 不 是 我,<em>而</em> 是 你 自己。|grammar point|ASGMX0ZS}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|而|B2|Sentence 1, + 而 + Sentence 2|以后 后悔 的 人 不 是 我,<em>而</em> 是 你 自己。|grammar point|ASGMX0ZS}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing "not only… but also"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing "not only… but also"}}

Revision as of 04:51, 9 March 2019

The conjunction (ér) is used to connect two sentences that are related to each other, and is also frequently used to emphasize contrast between two parts of the sentence. In this manner, it can be seen as a word meaning "but rather." 而 is often used in a more formal or literary sense, but is also common in everyday speech.

Start with 是

Frequently you'll see the pattern in one of these two more specific forms involving the verb :

Structure

不是……,而是……

是……,而不是……

Strictly speaking, the 而 isn't required in either of these patterns, but it makes the contrast super clear.

Examples

  • 以后 后悔 的 人 不 是 我, 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, 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 没 说 不 是 想 骗 你 ,而 是 怕 你 不 高兴 。The reason I didn't tell you isn't that I wanted to lie to you; it's that I was afraid you would be upset.
  • 不 是 不 想 帮 你 ,而 是 没有 能力 帮 你 。It's not that I don't want to help you, it's that I have no ability to help you.
  • 重要 的 不是 你 的 外表 ,而是 你 的 内心 。What's important is not how you look on the outside, but rather what's on the inside.
  • 生活 中 不是 缺少 美 ,而是 缺少 发现 美 的 眼睛 。It's not that life is lacking in beauty, but rather that we lack eyes that discover it.
  • 我们 来 办事 的 ,不是 来 玩 的 。We're here to do our job, not to have fun.
  • 你 这样 做 害 他 ,不是 帮 他 。By doing this you were hurting him, not helping him.
  • 不好意思 ,我 不 小心 ,不是 故意 的 。I'm sorry. It was an accident. It wasn't on purpose.

Generalized Pattern

Structure

Sentence 1, + 而 + Sentence 2

Examples

  • 我 今天 去 你 家 找 你 了, 你 不 在 家。I am going to your home to find you today, and you are not at home.
  • 孩子 发烧 很 严重, 你 一点 都 不 关心。Your child has a very hot fever,but you must not care.
  • 她 在 公司 很 受 欢迎, 我 并 不 喜欢 她。She is very popular at the company, but I don't like her.

As you can see, 而 comes between the two to heighten the contrast.

See Also

Sources and Further Reading

Books

Websites