HSK 6 Chinese grammar

Expressing "whether or not" with "与否 (yǔfǒu)"

Verb / Adj. + 与否 (yǔfǒu) — formal "whether or not"

Expressing "is or is not" with "是否 (shìfǒu)"

是否 (shìfǒu) + Verb / Adj. (formal "whether")

Expressing possession with "之 (zhī)"

Noun A + 之 (zhī) + Noun B (classical possessive)

Expressing the self-evident with "嘛 (ma)"

Statement + 嘛 (ma) — obviousness

Expressing "your side" with "本 (běn)"

本 (běn) + Noun (our/this)

Comparing "人家 (rénjiā)" and "别人 (biérén)"

人家 (rénjiā): specific person(s)/I (soften) / 别人 (biérén): other people

Comparing "彼此 (bǐcǐ)" and "对方 (duìfāng)"

彼此 (bǐcǐ): each other (reciprocal) / 对方 (duìfāng): the other side, counterpart

Indicating a characteristic with "性 (xìng)"

Noun / Adj. + 性 (xìng) → Abstract Noun

Expressing "contrary to expectations" with "偏偏 (piānpiān)"

Subj. + 偏偏 (piānpiān) + Verb (undesirable coincidence)

Expressing "all" with "凡是 (fánshì)"

凡是 (fánshì) + Noun Phrase, 都 (dōu) + Verb

Expressing "always previously" with "向来 (xiànglái)"

Subj. + 向来 (xiànglái) + Verb / Adj.

Expressing "since the beginning" with "一向 (yíxiàng)"

Subj. + 一向 (yíxiàng) + Verb / Adj.

Expressing "when the time comes" with "到时候 (dào shíhou)"

到时候 (dào shíhou), Main Clause (future reference)

Expressing "as if" with "似乎 (sìhū)"

似乎 (sìhū) + Clause (speculative)

Expressing "no matter how" with "再 (zài) … 也 (yě) …"

再 (zài) + Adj., 也 (yě) + Result

Expressing "as expected" with "果然 (guǒrán)"

果然 (guǒrán) + Result (matching expectation)

Expressing "no exception" with "一律 (yílǜ)"

一律 (yílǜ) + Verb / Adj. (uniformly, without exception)

Expressing "nothing but" with "无非 (wúfēi)"

无非 (wúfēi) + Noun / Clause (dismissive)

Expressing "again and again" with "一再 (yízài)"

一再 (yízài) + Verb Phrase

Expressing "a full" with "足足 (zúzú)"

足足 (zúzú) + Quantity + Measure Word (+ Noun)

Advanced usages of the contrary "倒 (dào)"

倒 (dào) + Verb / Adj. (surprise, concession, softening)

Expressing rhetorical "why bother" with "何必 (hébì)"

何必 (hébì) + Verb Phrase (rhetorical, unnecessary)

Comparing "一时 (yìshí)" and "一度 (yídù)"

一时 (yìshí): temporary (moment) / 一度 (yídù): once (period in past)

Comparing "一直 (yìzhí)" and "一向 (yíxiàng)"

一直 (yìzhí): continuously (from past to present) / 一向 (yíxiàng): consistently (habit)

Comparing "不得不 (bùdébù)" and "只好 (zhǐhǎo)"

不得不 (bùdébù) + Verb (no choice, compelled) / 只好 (zhǐhǎo) + Verb (reluctant but accepting)

Comparing "不断 (bùduàn)" and "不停 (bùtíng)"

不断 (bùduàn) + Verb (continuous, unceasing) / 不停 (bùtíng) + Verb (incessant, nonstop)

Comparing "反而 (fǎn'ér)" and "却 (què)"

反而 (fǎn'ér): contrary to expectation / 却 (què): however, but

Comparing "居然 (jūrán)" and "反而 (fǎn'ér)"

居然 (jūrán): unexpectedly (surprise) / 反而 (fǎn'ér): on the contrary

Comparing "恢复 (huīfù)" and "还原 (huányuán)"

恢复 (huīfù): restore (state, function) / 还原 (huányuán): restore to original state

Comparing "按照 (ànzhào)" and "根据 (gēnjù)"

按照 (ànzhào) + Rule / Standard (follow) / 根据 (gēnjù) + Basis / Source (based on)

Comparing "根据 (gēnjù)" and "据 (jù)"

根据 (gēnjù) + Noun / 据 (jù) + Source / Report

Comparing "根本 (gēnběn)" and "到底 (dàodǐ)"

根本 (gēnběn): at all (negatives), fundamental / 到底 (dàodǐ): after all, finally

Emphasizing with "很是 (hěn shì)"

很是 (hěn shì) + Adj. / Verb Phrase

Expressing that something has already happened with "来着 (láizhe)"

Subj. + (Time) + Verb Phrase + 来着 (láizhe)

Expressing "as well as" with "以及 (yǐjí)"

Noun A + 以及 (yǐjí) + Noun B

"In order to avoid" with "以免 (yǐmiǎn)"

Clause 1, 以免 (yǐmiǎn) + Undesirable Result

Expressing "in short" with "总之 (zǒngzhī)"

总之 (zǒngzhī) + Summary / Conclusion

Indicating contrast with "则 (zé)"

Topic A + 则 (zé) + Comment / Verb

Expressing "in light of" with "鉴于 (jiànyú)"

鉴于 (jiànyú) + Fact / Situation, Main Clause

Stating two or more reasons with "一来 (yìlái) … 二来 (èrlái) …"

一来 (yìlái) + Reason 1, 二来 (èrlái) + Reason 2

Expressing "to be worthy of" with "不愧是 (bùkuì shì)"

不愧是 (bùkuì shì) + Noun / Noun Phrase

Expressing who is in charge with "由 (yóu) … 做主 (zuòzhǔ)"

由 (yóu) + Person + 做主 (zuòzhǔ)

Expressing "rather than…" with "与其 (yǔqí) … 不如 (bùrú) …"

与其 (yǔqí) + Option A, 不如 (bùrú) + Option B

Expressing "must" with "非得 (fēiděi)"

Subj. + 非得 (fēiděi) + Verb Phrase + 不可 (bùkě) / 才行 (cái xíng)

Expressing "nothing is more…than" with "莫过于 (mòguòyú)"

莫过于 (mòguòyú) + Noun / Verb Phrase

Expressing "could it be possible that" with "莫非 (mòfēi)"

莫非 (mòfēi) + Speculation?

Expressing "at the same time" with "兼 (jiān)"

兼 (jiān) + Noun / Verb (concurrently)

Expressing "in the name of" with "以 (yǐ) … 的名义 (de míngyì)"

以 (yǐ) + Person / Org + 的名义 (de míngyì) + Verb

Expressing "from this" with "由此 (yóucǐ)"

由此 (yóucǐ) + Verb / Clause (hence, thus)

Expressing "similar to" with "跟 (gēn) … 似的 (shìde)"

跟 (gēn) + Noun + 似的 (shìde) — as if, like

"Could it be that" with "岂不是 (qǐ bù shì)"

岂不是 (qǐ bù shì) + Rhetorical Question

Adding emphasis with "非 (fēi) … 不可 (bùkě)"

非 (fēi) + Verb / Noun + 不可 (bùkě)

Expressing "I bet" using "谅 (liàng)"

谅 (liàng) + Clause (you wouldn’t dare)

Expressing something is "not worth doing" with "不屑 (bùxiè)"

不屑于 (bùxiè yú) + Verb Phrase

Facilitating an outcome with "以便 (yǐbiàn)"

Clause 1, 以便 (yǐbiàn) + Purpose / Goal

Using "because" with "而 (ér)" to indicate effect

Cause + 而 (ér) + Effect (formal, literary)

Expressing "if… then…" with "假使 (jiǎshǐ)"

假使 (jiǎshǐ) + Condition, 则 (zé) / 就 (jiù) + Result

Expressing "let alone" with "何况 (hékuàng)"

Clause A, 何况 (hékuàng) + Clause B (even more so)