B2 · Grammar reference · ASGMX0ZS
Using "er" to explain contrasting ideas
The conjunction 而 (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. Used in this way, it can be translated as "but rather." 而 is often used in more formal or literary language, but is also common in everyday speech.
- Keywords
- 而 · 而是 · but
- Used for
- Contrasting · Differentiating
- Classification
- Conjunctions · HSK4
Examples (12)
我们是来办事的，而不是来玩的。
以后后悔的人不是我，而是你自己。
你这样做是害他，而不是帮他。
不好意思，我是不小心，而不是故意的。
现在要做的不是责怪谁错了，而是怎么解决。
我没说不是因为想骗你，而是怕你不高兴。
我不是不想帮你，而是没有能力帮你。
重要的不是你的外表，而是你的内心。
生活中不是缺少美，而是缺少发现美的眼睛。
我今天去你家找你了，而你不在家。
孩子发烧很严重，而你一点都不关心。
她在公司很受欢迎，而我并不喜欢她。
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Summary, structure, classification, and adapted sentence examples draw from the AllSet Learning Chinese Grammar Wiki under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0; changes were made. This noncommercial reference is based on an October 2023 snapshot.
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