Chinese grammar / 53 topics
Advanced Chinese grammar lessons
Browse 53 advanced Chinese grammar topics. Read sentence patterns, clear explanations and examples with pinyin and English translations.
倒；倒是 dào; dàoshi
Advanced 倒 (Dào): Sarcasm, Disagreement, and Urging
Use 倒 after 得 for pointed evaluations, before a predicate for contrast, and in 倒是 commands that urge someone to act.
很是 hěn shì
很是 (Hěn Shì): Intensify a Quality or Feeling
Use 很是 as an emphatic degree expression with suitable adjectives and mental predicates, especially in written description.
足足 zúzú
足足 (Zúzú): Emphasize a Full Amount or Duration
Highlight a surprisingly large quantity, length, or duration with 足足, and keep an explicit amount in the sentence.
一再 yīzài
一再 (Yīzài): Repeatedly or Again and Again
Use 一再 before a verb to emphasize repeated requests, reminders, explanations, or recurring actions in Chinese.
向来 xiànglái
向来 (Xiànglái): Always or Traditionally So
Describe a consistent habit, attitude, or characteristic with 向来, often with 都, and compare its meaning with 一向.
果然 guǒrán
果然 (Guǒrán): As Expected or Sure Enough
Use 果然 when evidence confirms a prediction, belief, or earlier claim, whether the result is welcome or disappointing.
似乎 sìhū
似乎 (Sìhū): Seem, Apparently, or As If
Express a tentative impression with 似乎, leaving room for uncertainty or a later contrast with the actual situation.
凡是 fánshì
凡是 (Fánshì): Every Case That Meets a Condition
Use 凡是 to define a class without exceptions, followed by 都, 就, or 一律 to state the rule that applies.
偏偏 piānpiān
偏偏 (Piānpiān): Against Wishes or Expectations
Use 偏偏 for frustrating coincidences, deliberate contrary behavior, or a conspicuous exception to what others do.
再不…也 zài bù…yě
再不…也 (Zài Bù…Yě): Even If You Do Not
Use 再不…也 with a negative quality or feeling to show that a decision still holds, and distinguish urgent 再不…就 sentences.
一律 yīlǜ
一律 (Yīlǜ): Apply a Rule Without Exceptions
Use 一律 to show uniform treatment of every member of a stated group, especially in rules, instructions, and formal decisions.
无非 wúfēi
无非 (Wúfēi): Nothing More Than or Merely
Limit an explanation or description with 无非, including noun phrases with 是 and optional endings such as 而已 or 罢了.
竟然；竟 jìngrán; jìng
竟然 (Jìngrán): Express an Unexpected Result
Use 竟然 or the shorter 竟 to mark surprise at an event, whether the unexpected result is good or bad.
到时候 dào shíhou
到时候 (Dào Shíhou): When the Time Comes
Refer back to an understood future occasion with 到时候, including expressions for seeing, deciding, or talking about it then.
何必 hébì
何必 (Hébì): Why Bother or Why Is That Necessary?
Use rhetorical 何必 to question the need for an action, often with 呢, and distinguish it from a neutral request for a reason.
来着 láizhe
来着 (Láizhe): Recall a Past Fact or Ask Again
Use sentence-final 来着 to recall an earlier situation or retrieve a forgotten detail, including 我说什么来着 for I told you so.
以及 yǐjí
以及 (Yǐjí): And or As Well As in Written Chinese
Join related noun phrases or fuller items with 以及, especially when adding the last part of a formal list.
总之 zǒngzhī
总之 (Zǒngzhī): In Short or To Sum Up
Use 总之 to gather earlier details into one overall conclusion, decision, or general statement in Chinese.
则 zé
则 (Zé): Contrast Two Subjects in Formal Chinese
Place 则 after the second subject to contrast two cases, often with 而 at the start of the second clause.
以免 yǐmiǎn
以免 (Yǐmiǎn): In Order to Avoid or So As Not To
Explain a precaution with 以免, followed by the unwanted event that the earlier action is meant to prevent.
本 běn
本 (Běn): This, Our, or the Current in Formal Chinese
Use 本 before an institution, place, period, or occasion to refer to the current or speaker-associated one in formal writing.
性 xìng
性 (Xìng): Form Words for Properties and Characteristics
Understand the suffix 性 in words for qualities, possibilities, and types, and learn why it cannot be attached to every word.
是否 shìfǒu
是否 (Shìfǒu): Whether or Whether Not
Use 是否 before a predicate for a formal yes-or-no question or an embedded whether clause, without adding a second question form.
之 zhī
之 (Zhī): A Formal Linking Particle Like 的
Read the literary linking use of 之 in noun phrases, titles, and fixed expressions, and distinguish it from a general replacement for 的.
与否 yǔfǒu
与否 (Yǔfǒu): Whether or Not After a Predicate
Place 与否 after a condition, action, or quality to turn it into a formal whether-or-not expression within a sentence.
呗 bei
呗 (Bei): An Obvious Choice or Resigned Response
Understand sentence-final 呗 in casual Chinese, including obvious explanations, simple suggestions, acceptance, and a potentially dismissive tone.
鉴于 jiànyú
鉴于 (Jiànyú): In View Of or In Light Of
Introduce a considered circumstance with 鉴于, then state the decision, recommendation, or conclusion it supports.
非…不可；非要 fēi…bùkě; fēiyào
非…不可 and 非要: Insistence, Necessity, and Certainty
Use 非…不可 for a firm requirement or predicted consequence, and 非要 for insistence that may sound determined or stubborn.
岂不是 qǐ bù shì
岂不是 (Qǐ Bù Shì): Wouldn't That Mean…?
Use 岂不是 in rhetorical questions to highlight an obvious implication, objection, or consequence rather than ask for unknown information.
兼 jiān
兼 (Jiān): Combine Roles, Jobs, or Functions
Describe someone holding two roles or something serving multiple functions with 兼, including noun + 兼 + noun patterns.
莫非 mòfēi
莫非 (Mòfēi): Could It Be That…?
Introduce a conjecture with 莫非 when evidence prompts a guess, or use it rhetorically to challenge an unexpected possibility.
由此 yóucǐ
由此 (Yóucǐ): From This or As a Result
Connect earlier evidence to a conclusion or earlier circumstances to a result with 由此, including the phrase 由此可见.
非得 fēiděi
非得 (Fēiděi): Must, Have To, or Insist On
Use 非得 for strong necessity or insistence, often with 不可, 不行, or 不成 to exclude other alternatives.
莫过于 mòguòyú
莫过于 (Mòguòyú): Nothing Is More…Than
Use 莫过于 to name the highest or most extreme case on a stated scale, including joy, sadness, importance, or comfort.
与其…不如 yǔqí…bùrú
与其…不如 (Yǔqí…Bùrú): Rather Than, Better To
Compare a rejected option with a preferred one using 与其…不如, and refine a judgment with 与其说…不如说.
跟…似的 gēn…shìde
跟…似的 (Gēn…Shìde): Like or As If in Chinese
Make a conversational comparison with 跟…似的, placing the model or imagined situation between the two parts.
不愧是 bùkuì shì
不愧是 (Bùkuì Shì): Live Up to a Reputation
Praise a person or thing for matching an expected standard with 不愧是, and recognize the more formal alternative 不愧为.
由…做主 yóu…zuòzhǔ
由…做主 (Yóu…Zuòzhǔ): Say Who Makes the Decision
Identify the person with decision-making authority using 由…做主, with the matter or area of responsibility stated first.
一来…二来 yīlái…èrlái
一来…二来 (Yīlái…Èrlái): For One Thing, For Another
Organize two reasons or purposes with 一来…二来, presenting them as parallel grounds for an action or conclusion.
以…为… yǐ…wéi…
以…为… (Yǐ…Wéi…): Take or Use A as B
Use formal 以 A 为 B to identify a standard, basis, goal, example, or role, including common expressions with 为例 and 为主.
谅 liàng
谅 (Liàng): I Expect or I Bet in a Firm Assertion
Use 谅 to express a confident assumption about what someone will dare or be able to do, often with a challenging tone.
在于 zàiyú
在于 (Zàiyú): Lie In or Depend On
Identify the essential factor, meaning, or basis of a situation with 在于, including contrasts between what matters and what does not.
不屑；不屑于 bùxiè; bùxiè yú
不屑 and 不屑于 (Bùxiè): Disdain Doing Something
Express looking down on an action with 不屑 or 不屑于, and distinguish this attitude from a neutral judgment that it is not worthwhile.
以便 yǐbiàn
以便 (Yǐbiàn): So That or In Order To
State the intended benefit of an earlier action with 以便, a formal purpose connector that does not guarantee the outcome occurs.
因为…而 yīnwèi…ér
因为…而 (Yīnwèi…Ér): Link a Cause to Its Effect
Use 因为…而 inside a sentence to connect a reason with the action or state it causes, often in formal explanation.
假使…就 jiǎshǐ…jiù
假使…就 (Jiǎshǐ…Jiù): Formal If Then Conditions
Introduce a hypothetical condition with 假使 and describe its consequence with 就, especially in formal or written Chinese.
为…而… wèi…ér…
为…而… (Wèi…Ér…): Act for a Purpose or Cause
Name the purpose, beneficiary, or cause behind an action with 为…而…, a common pattern in formal and emphatic Chinese.
以…的名义 yǐ…de míngyì
以…的名义 (Yǐ…De Míngyì): In the Name Of
Use 以…的名义 to describe acting under someone's name, authority, or stated cause, including sincere and questionable claims.
何况；更何况 hékuàng; gèng hékuàng
何况 and 更何况: Let Alone or All the More
Extend a point to an even clearer case with 何况 or 更何况, in statements and rhetorical questions with 呢.
不断；不停 bùduàn; bùtíng
不断 versus 不停: Repeatedly or Without Stopping
Compare 不断 and 不停 for continuing actions, repeated developments, and the expressive verb + 个不停 pattern.
一直；一向 yīzhí; yīxiàng
一直 versus 一向: Continuously or Habitually
Use 一直 for continuation over time or along a direction, and 一向 for a longstanding habit, attitude, or characteristic.
彼此；对方 bǐcǐ; duìfāng
彼此 versus 对方: Each Other or the Other Person
Distinguish reciprocal 彼此 from 对方 for the other party, including their positions before verbs, after verbs, and before nouns.
反而；相反 fǎn'ér; xiāngfǎn
反而 versus 相反: Unexpected Reversal or Opposite
Distinguish adverbial 反而 from 相反 as a sentence transition or adjective, including opposite opinions and directions.