不过
bú guò
But, however
不过 (bù guò)/只是 (zhī shì)…罢了 (bà le) — “just… that's all”
不过 (búguò) / 只是 (zhǐshì) + Limitation, 罢了 (bàle)
HSK 7–93.0
Pattern diagram
Who / what不过只是Action罢了
Rule structure
不过 (búguò) or 只是 (zhǐshì) introduces a limitation, and final 罢了 (bàle) softens it: "merely, nothing more." This is a semi-literary colloquial frame; 不过 (bù guò) here is not the conjunction "but," and 只是 (zhī shì) is not simply "only." In speech 罢了 (bàle) sounds light and often adds a "nothing special" tone.
Rule structure
不过 (búguò) or 只是 (zhǐshì) introduces a limitation, and final 罢了 (bàle) softens it: "merely, nothing more." This is a semi-literary colloquial frame; 不过 (bù guò) here is not the conjunction "but," and 只是 (zhī shì) is not simply "only." In speech 罢了 (bàle) sounds light and often adds a "nothing special" tone.
Examples
我只是有点儿累罢了。
Wǒ zhǐshì yǒudiǎnr lèi bàle.
I'm just a little tired, that's all.
Examples
我只是有点儿累罢了。
Wǒ zhǐshì yǒudiǎnr lèi bàle.
I'm just a little tired, that's all.
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Words from this rule
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “‘just… that's all’” in Chinese with 不过/只是…罢了?
Use the structure: 不过 (búguò) / 只是 (zhǐshì) + Limitation, 罢了 (bàle). For example: 我只是有点儿累罢了。 — “I'm just a little tired, that's all”.
What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?
我只是有点儿累罢了。 — “I'm just a little tired, that's all”.
Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?
This grammar rule is part of HSK 3.0 Levels 7–9.
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More HSK 3.0 Levels 7–9 grammar rules
动不动 就 — at the slightest thing, just
Subj. + 动不动 (dòngbudòng) 就 (jiù) + Verb
仅次于 — second only to
Subj. + 仅次于 (jǐn cì yú) + X
个 — casual small action
Verb + 个 (ge) + Noun
除外 — except for, excluding
Noun + 除外 (chúwài)
不亚于 — no worse than
Subject + 不亚于 (bú yà yú) + Noun
可不 — enthusiastic agreement
可不 (kě bu) / 可不是嘛 (kě bú shì ma) — a standalone confirming reply
说到哪儿去了 — polite reply to praise
说到哪儿去了 (shuō dào nǎr qù le) — a standalone polite reply
非 — neither A nor B
非 (fēi) + Noun/Adj. A + 非 (fēi) + Noun/Adj. B