How to use 倒
Subject + 倒 + predicate
倒 draws attention to a fact that differs from an expectation or another part of the discussion. It can introduce a surprising evaluation, correct an assumed motive, or concede one point while implying a reservation elsewhere. English translations vary, including actually, however, or a stressed contrast. Its contribution comes from the relationship between statements rather than a single fixed English word.
Place 倒 before the predicate it qualifies, generally after the subject. Additional words such as 也 or 是 may shape the tone. Although favorable evaluations are common, 倒 can also introduce negative statements or an unwelcome change. The construction does not require the following comment to be positive.
Examples with pinyin and English
我帮他， 倒不是因为喜欢他，是因为他工作很努力。
I helped him not because I liked him, but because he worked very hard.
他不是很努力，成绩倒也不错。
He's not very hard-working, but his scores also aren't bad.
已经是春天了， 倒又冷起来了。
It's already spring, but it's actually getting colder.
不吃药，病倒慢慢好了。
Without taking any medicine, I'm actually slowly getting better.
What to remember
- Put contrastive 倒 before the predicate.
- Use context to identify the expectation being challenged.
- Allow both favorable and unfavorable comments.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
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