Chinese Conjunction



Definition: We use conjunctions for connecting words or ideas within a sentence. However conjunctions are used between two sentences to join them.

English Chinese Pinyin
and 和 Hé
with 同 Tóng
while 而 Ér
or 或 / 或者 Huò / huòzhě
not only 不但 Bùdàn
but also 而且 Érqiě
though 虽 / 虽然 Suī / suīrán
but 但 / 但是 Dàn / dànshì
yet 然而 Ránér
because 因 / 因为 Yīn / yīnwèi
therefore 所以 Suǒyǐ
if 如 / 如果 Rú / rúguǒ
only if 只有 Zhǐyǒu
so long as 只要 Zhǐyào
in order to 为了 Wèile


NOTES:
  1. Paired Conjunctions
    Unlike English conjunctions, some paired conjunctions could be distributed in different clauses for some complex sentences. Let see a couple of examples:

    • She hasn't come because she's got something else to do at home.
    • 因 为 家 里 有 事 ， 所 以 她 没 有 来
    • Yīn wéi jiā li yǒushì, suǒyǐ tā méiyǒu lái

    • He is poor, but he is happy
    • 他 虽 然 很 穷 ， 但 很 快 活
    • Tā suīrán hěn qióng, dàn hěn kuàihuó

    Many times, we can omit one of the separated pair in paired conjunction structure. Let see some examples:

    • She hasn't come because she's got something else to do at home.
    • 家 里 有 事 ， 所 以 她 没 有 来 -----> without 因 为
    • Jiā li yǒushì, suǒyǐ tā méiyǒu lái

    • He is poor, but he is happy
    • 他 很 穷 ， 但 很 快 活 -----> without 虽 然
    • Tā hěn qióng, dàn hěn kuàihuó

  2. Parataxis
    If a sentence with connective is clear without say the connective conjunction, Chinese people don't use the conjunction. Let see some examples:

    • north, south, east and west
    • 东 南 西 北 --- not as --> 东 南 西 和 北
    • Dōng Nán Xi Běi --- not as --> Dōngnán xi hé běi

    • A, B, C and D
    • 甲 乙 丙 丁 --- not as -->甲 乙 丙 和 丁
    • Jiǎ Yǐ Bǐng Dīng --- not as --> Jiǎ Yǐ Bǐng hé Dīng

    • streets and lanes
    • 大 街 小 巷 --- not as -->大 街 和 小 巷
    • Dàjiē Xiǎo xiàng --- not as --> Dàjiē hé Xiǎo xiàng

    • She likes singing and dancing.
    • 她 爱 唱 歌 跳 舞 --- better than -->她 爱 唱 歌 和 跳 舞
    • Tā ài chànggē tiàowǔ --- better than --> Tā ài chànggē hé tiàowǔ

    • If you don't use your Chinese you'll forget it.
    • 汉语不用就容易忘。 --- not as -->如果汉语不用就容易忘
    • Hànyǔ bùyòng jiù róngyì wàng --- not as --> Rúguǒ hànyǔ bùyòng jiù róngyì wàng


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