Conjunctions In Mandarin Chinese (With Examples)

Mandarin Chinese conjunctions are the glue that holds two words, phrases, or sentences together.

Thankfully, they work pretty much the same way they do in English.

Learning to use conjunctions in Chinese will make your speech flow better. At times, they also help to provide more context about the message you’re trying to convey and the relationship between two sentences or phrases.

In the guide below, I’ll run you through some of the most common conjunctions used in Mandarin Chinese.

Conjunctions indicating addition

和 (Hé)

Meaning: And

This is used to connect two elements that share a parallel relationship.

For instance:

我喜欢吃面条、炒饭和寿司。

Wǒ xǐhuān chī miàntiáo, chǎofàn hé shòusī.

I like to eat noodles, fried rice, and sushi.

However, unlike English, 和 cannot be used to join two sentences or independent clauses together. It can only connect phrases, words, or dependent clauses.

Let’s take this as an example: “I enjoy playing basketball, and I like playing video games.” It is incorrect to use 和 to connect both these independent clauses (clauses that can stand alone as a sentence).

Instead, you can make the clauses dependent. For example, it will be correct to say 我喜欢打篮球和玩电子游戏。(Wǒ xǐhuān dǎ lánqiú hé wán diànzǐ yóuxì), which translates to “I enjoy playing basketball and playing video games.

跟 (Gēn)

Meaning: And

When used as a conjunction, 跟 (gēn) is used to express the meaning of “and.” In certain cases, it can be applied in the same way as 和 (hé), but it is typically used to describe an event or activity that involves two or more people or things.

For example:

我跟她去看医生。

Wǒ gēn tā qù kàn yīshēng.

She and I are going to see the doctor.

Do note that 跟 and 和 can sometimes be replaced for the other, but they are not always interchangeable. 和 is used to connect nouns, while 跟 is used to connect two objects while describing a certain event.

Using one over the other may also sometimes alter the meaning of the sentence.

For example:

我和我哥哥学英语。

Wǒ hé wǒ gēgē xué yīngyǔ.

I am learning English with my brother.

我跟我哥哥学英语。

Wǒ gēn wǒ gēgē xué yīngyǔ.

I am learning English from my brother.

还有 (Hái yǒu)

Meaning: In addition to

还有 is used similarly to “in addition to” in English, which is in front of a new clause or sentence. It can also be used after a comma, just as you would in English.

For instance:

努力学习准备考试。还有不要忘记交作业。

Nǔlì xuéxí zhǔnbèi kǎoshì. Hái yǒu bùyào wàngjì jiāo zuòyè.

Study hard for your exam. And don't forget to hand in your homework.

不但… 而且… (Bùdàn… érqiě)

Meaning: Not only… but also…

These two phrases can be used together to say “not only…, but also…” and can be used with one or two subjects in the sentence. If there are two subjects mentioned, 不但 needs to come before the first, and 而且 needs to come before the second. In this case, you’ll also need to include 也 (yě) in the second part of the sentence.

Here are some examples:

她不但漂亮，而且非常聪明。

Tā bùdàn piàoliang, érqiě fēicháng cōngmíng.

She is not only very pretty but also very smart.

他不但是老师，他的老婆也是老师。

Tā bùdàn shì lǎoshī, tā de lǎopó yěshì lǎoshī.

Not only is he a teacher, but his wife is a teacher, too.

Conjunctions for choices

还是 (Háishì)

Meaning: Or

This phrase is used to present a choice to another person. The basic sentence structure would be Choice A + 还是 + Choice B. As you add subjects and verbs to that basic structure, you can create a range of different questions that offer choices to the person you’re speaking to,

For example:

你想喝咖啡还是茶？

Nǐ xiǎng hē kāfēi háishì chá?

Do you want to drink coffee or tea?

你想看电影还是去吃甜点？

Nǐ xiǎng kàn diànyǐng háishì qù chī tiándiǎn?

Do you want to watch a movie or get dessert?

或者 (Huòzhě)

Meaning: Or

In English, “or” can also be used in a sentence as well, not just a question. If you want to use “or” in a sentence in Chinese, you can do just that with 或者.

For instance:

晚餐我想吃面条或者炒饭。

Wǎncān wǒ xiǎng chī miàntiáo huòzhě chǎofàn.

I want to have noodles or fried rice for dinner tonight.

要么… 要么… (Yàome… Yàome…)

Meaning: Either… or…

This phrase is used to offer choices as you would in English with “either” and “or.” It’s pretty versatile and can be used before nouns, places, adverbs, or verbs.

Here’s an example:

你要么在学校学习，要么在家学习。

Nǐ yàome zài xuéxiào xuéxí, yàome zàijiā xuéxí.

You either study at school or at home.

Conjunctions for contrast

但是 (Dànshì)

Meaning: But

This phrase can be used in the same way you would say “but” in English, which means that it usually comes before a contrary statement or clause. 但是 can be used interchangeably with 可是 (kěshì).

The only difference between both is that 但是 carries a more formal tone to it, while 可是 (kěshì) is usually more informal. However, using them interchangeably in a sentence is still grammatically correct.

不过 (búguò) can also be used to replace either of the above. However, it’s important to note that this phrase is even more informal and casual and has a weaker effect compared to 但是 and 可是.

Here are some examples of how to use these phrases:

我不知道他的名字，但是他看起来很熟悉。

Wǒ bù zhīdào tā de míngzì, dànshì tā kàn qǐlái hěn shúxī.

I don't know his name, but he looks very familiar.

我喜欢吃披萨，可是我不喜欢吃意大利面。

Wǒ xǐhuān chī pīsà, kěshì wǒ bù xǐhuān chī yìdàlì miàn.

I like to eat pizza, but I don't like pasta.

他话很多，不过他是个好朋友。

Tā huà hěnduō, bùguò tā shìgè hǎo péngyǒu.

He talks a lot, but he's still a good friend.

虽然 (Suīrán)

Meaning: Although

虽然… 但是… is used to convey the meaning “although/despite/even though.” It’s used similarly to English.

Essentially, 虽然 goes before a clause, followed by 但是, which will come before the second part of the sentence and is used to show contrast. Again, you can interchange 但是 with 可是, and the sentence will still retain its original meaning.

You can also use 虽然 interchangeably with 尽管 (jǐnguǎn), which also conveys the meaning of “although” and “despite.”

For example:

虽然他很喜欢她，但是却不敢问她的电话号码。

Suīrán tā hěn xǐhuān tā, dànshì què bù gǎn wèn tā de diànhuà hàomǎ.

Although he likes her a lot, he does not dare to ask for her handphone number.

然而 (Rán’ér)

Meaning: However / whereas / but

然而 can be used similarly to 但是 and 可是. But do take note that all these phrases can also be used to convey the meaning “whereas,” where a contrasting idea or outcome is represented in the second part of the sentence.

Take, for example, the following:

我喜欢弹钢琴，然而她比较喜欢打篮球。

Wǒ xǐhuān dàn gāngqín, rán'ér tā bǐjiào xǐhuān dǎ lánqiú.

I enjoy playing the piano, whereas she prefers playing basketball.

与其… 不如… (Yǔqí… Bùrú…)

Meaning: Rather than…, prefer…

These two phrases can be used together to show that you prefer the second option over the first. It essentially gives the other party a good idea about which one of the options you’d prefer.

Here’s an example:

与其整天睡觉，不如跟朋友一起出去吧。

Yǔqí zhěng tiān shuìjiào, bùrú gēn péngyǒu yīqǐ chūqù ba.

Rather than sleeping all day, I'd prefer to go out with friends.

Conjunctions representing outcomes

因为 (Yīnwèi)

Meaning: Because

因为 can be used similarly to how you would use “because” in English. It usually comes before the second part of the sentence and is used to present a reason or cause.

For example:

我喜欢雨天 因为它能让我感到宁静。

Wǒ xǐhuān yǔtiān yīnwèi tā néng ràng wǒ gǎndào níngjìng.

I love rainy days because they feel peaceful to me.

因为… 所以… (Yīnwèi… Suǒyǐ…)

Meaning: Because…, so…

所以 is used to indicate results. Thus, 因为 and 所以 can be used to explain cause and effect. This is how the basic structure usually looks like: 因为 (because) event A happened + 所以 (so) event B happened.

It might sound a little weird to use both “because” and “so” in the same sentence in English (since the “so” is usually omitted), but for Chinese, these two phrases complement each other nicely.

Let’s look at some examples:

因为他太忙了，所以没有跟我们吃晚饭。

Yīnwèi tā tài mángle, suǒyǐ méiyǒu gēn wǒmen chī wǎnfàn.

Because he was too busy, he didn't eat dinner with us.

因为她的手机丢了，所以无法联系到我们。

Yīnwèi tā de shǒujī diūle, suǒyǐ wúfǎ liánxì dào wǒmen.

Because she lost her mobile phone, she was not able to contact us.

既然 (Jìrán)

Meaning: Since

既然 will usually be paired with either 那 / 就 / 那就 (Nà/ jiù/ nà jiù) in a sentence. While it might not necessarily talk about a guaranteed, definitive outcome or result, these pairs can be used to express suggestions or inferences derived based on a fact.

The basic structures of such sentences typically look something like this:

• 既然 + Fact + 就 + Suggestion
• 既然 + Fact + 那就 + Suggestion
• 既然 + Fact + 那 + Inference

Here are some examples:

既然他不想看医生，那就别逼他去吧。

Jìrán tā bùxiǎng kàn yīshēng, nà jiù bié bī tā qù ba.

Since he does not want to go and see the doctor, don't force him to go.

既然不能出去，就在家看电影吧。

Jìrán bùnéng chūqù, jiù zàijiā kàn diànyǐng ba.

Since we can't go out, let's just stay home and watch a movie then.

既然他昨晚没睡，那他一定感觉很累。

Jìrán tā zuó wǎn méi shuì, nà tā yīdìng gǎnjué hěn lèi.

Since he did not sleep last night, he must be feeling very tired.

因此 (Yīncǐ)

Meaning: Therefore / thus

因此 (Yīncǐ) can be used in the same way as therefore in English. It usually sits after the cause in the sentence and comes before the outcome or result. It’s worthwhile to also note that 因此 is most often used formally.

Here’s how you can incorporate it into a sentence:

我今天早上没有吃早餐，因此现在有点饿了。

Wǒ jīntiān zǎoshang méiyǒu chī zǎocān, yīncǐ xiànzài yǒudiǎn èle.

I didn't have breakfast this morning. Thus, I'm feeling a little hungry now.

由于… 因此… (yóu yú… yīn cǐ…)

Meaning: Because…, so…

The combined usage of these two phrases is pretty straightforward as well. The basic structure will look something like this: 由于 (Because) + Event A happened + 因此 (so) + Event B happened.

For instance:

由于被雨淋了，因此她生病了。

Yóuyú bèi yǔ línle, yīncǐ tā shēngbìngle.

Because she got caught in the rain, therefore, she fell sick.

Conditional conjunctions

如果 (Rúguǒ)

Meaning: If

如果 can be used to express “if” in Chinese on its own. However, it can sometimes be paired with 就, which will appear before the second part of the sentence.

For example:

如果你想成功，你需要努力工作。

Rúguǒ nǐ xiǎng chénggōng, nǐ xūyào nǔlì gōngzuò.

If you want to succeed, you need to work hard.

如果… 就… (Rú guǒ… jiù…)

Meaning: If… then…

These two phrases can be used pretty similarly to how you would use them in English. When using them together, the structure of the sentence usually looks like this: 如果 (if) + Event A + 就 (then) + Event B.

You can drop the 就 as well, as this is usually automatically understood.

For example:

如果我们不能早点下班，就明天晚上见面吧。

Rúguǒ wǒmen bùnéng zǎodiǎn xiàbān, jiù míngtiān wǎnshàng jiànmiàn ba.

If we can't get off work early, then let's just meet tomorrow.

只要… 就… (Zhǐyào… Jiù..)

Meaning: As long as…, then…

You can create a condition sentence by pairing 只要 with 就. It does give the other party an idea that your suggestion or solution is one reliable method of achieving the outcome.

Here’s an example:

只要你练习,你就会通过钢琴考级。

Zhǐyào nǐ liànxí, nǐ jiù huì tōngguò gāngqín kǎojí.

As long as you practice, you will then pass your piano exam.

只有… 才… (Zhǐyǒu… Cái…)

Meaning: Only if…, then…

This pair can be used in a sentence structure similar to the previous one. However, one major difference between both is that 只有… 才… is most commonly used to describe a solution or suggestion that is necessary and required in order for the outcome to be achieved.

On the other hand, 只要… 就… can be used to describe a solution or suggestion that might not be the only or necessary method of achieving the outcome but is one reliable way to do so.

Here’s an example:

只有运动，才会健康。

Zhǐyǒu yùndòng, cái huì jiànkāng.

Only if you exercise will you then be healthy.

除非 (Chúfēi)

Meaning: Unless

除非 can be used in the same manner as you would in English.

For instance:

除非她向我道歉，我是不会和她说话的。

Chúfēi tā xiàng wǒ dàoqiàn, wǒ shì bù huì hé tā shuōhuà de.

Unless she apologizes to me, I will not be talking to her.

The above list offers a mix of both beginner-friendly and more complex conjunctions that are used in daily life.

It’s not necessary to learn how to use the more advanced ones at the start, especially since the sentence structure and ordering of these conjunctions can be different from English.

Start with the more simple and widely used ones, like 和, 跟, 但是, and 因为.

Once you’ve mastered these, you can move on to learning conjunctions that come in pairs.

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