And, Or and But: Chinese Conjunctions Part 1 According to different connecting components, Chinese conjunctions can be divided into two types: e Used to connect words and phrases: All (hé), BE (gen), fl (tong), 5 (yu), & (ji), LA R (yi ji), B% (hud) etc e Used to connect clauses and sentences: XX (sul ran), RE (jin guan), #4mM (ran ér), Al Itt (yin ci), FREA (sud yi), ##8 (bing qié), i B (ér qié), ze (hai shi) FF (you yu), A (yin wei), 2 (zhi you), 4 (bu guan) etc. Sometimes, the 2nd type of conjunction can also be used to connect a word or phrase. They can also be used alone, or used with another conjunction or conjunctive adverb ina pair. Single conjunction: ARTE ERS, MykPeAleteX. (chéng dong zai xia yu, ér chéng xi qué shi qing tian) The east of the city is rainy, but the west of the city is sunny. Conjunctions used in pairs: AASAEM, PARRA w]. (yin wei jin tian xia yu, sud yi wo méi yOu chi mén.) | did not go out today, because it was raining. Conjunctions used with a conjunctive adverb in a pair: REAARARS, RRMARS. (zhi yao ming tian bu xia yu, w6 men jit qu IU ying) As long as it is not raining tomorrow, we willgo camping. Now let’s look at some specific conjunctions in the Chinese language, and how to use them to construction sentences in both spoken and written Chinese. 1. FINK (bing lié guan xi) Parallel or ‘and’ Relationships #1 (hé), BR (gen), FFI (tong), 5 (yu), BE (ji), % Gi), LAR (yi ji), i (ér), # (bing) All (hé), # (gén), [Al (tong), 5 (yd) can all work as conjunctions and prepositions. The differences between using them as conjunctions and prepositions are as follows: 1. If, when used as a conjunction, the subjects change position within the sentence, the meaning does not change.For example, in this sentence ‘he’ and ‘i’ change positions within the sentence, and still produce the same meaning: FAM HEBS IBA. (wo hé ta dou xi huan hé cha) = (HFRS RIGA. (ta hé wo dou xi huan hé cha) He and | both like drinking tea. If they are used as a preposition and the position of the subjects are changed, then the meaning also changes: AHAB. (wo hé ta kai wan xiao) / hl RARE. (ta hé wo kai wan xiao) | was joking with him. # He was joking with me. 2. A modifier can be used in front of the preposition, but can not be used in front of conjunction:RA RAHA. (wd jing chang hé ta kai wan xiao) | often joked with him. v RAB A HBS IBA. (wo jing chang hé ta dou xi huan hé cha) He and | often like to drink tea. 3. The components in front of the preposition can be omitted, but the ones in front of conjunction can not. AIHA. (hé ta kai wan xiao) joked with him. v AHAB SKIBA. (hé ta dou xi huan hé cha) Often liked to drink. x To work as conjunctions, fl (hé), BR (gén), [Al (tong), 5 (yt ) can be used to connect nouns. However, 41 (hé), #2 (gén), [al (tong) are typically found in spoken Chinese, whereas 45 (yt) is mostlyfound in written Chinese. In written Chinese, #1 (hé) is always used as the conjunction, & (gén) and [a] (tong) are always used as prepositions. Conjunctions can also be used to connect verbs and adjectives: BoP TR AIS GI ABIRES. (yun dong hé yin shi kong zhi dou hén zhong yao.) Exercise and diet are both important. UAB AN A) BS ADARAA. (ta shi na yang de ké ai hé cong ming.) She is so cute and smart. R (jf) and LAR (yi ji) Similarly to #1 (hé), A (ji) and LAR (yi jf) can be used to connect parallel components, butthere are differences between them such as importance and order of priority. WIE, ERA ftsc Ae44K. (ging ba zhi, bi ji qi ta wén ju di géi ji wo) Please hand me the paper, pens and other stationery. HARTI AIT ER A Be ft Fea BESS ABA as BR (ta dui zhé wéi yan yuan yi ji ta béi hou de gu shi dou féi chang gan xing qu.) He is interested in this actor and the stories about him. fu (ér) and # (bing) ifm (ér) is always used in written Chinese, and used to connect parallel verbs or adjectives. When (ér) is used to connect verbs, it expresses a relationship between the verbs or progression of a relationship.When ffi (ér) is used to connect adjectives, it expresses a parallel or opposition relationship: wath BAZmMA. (ta kan gud de shi dud ér za) She reads many books but they are varied. # (bing) is also used to connect predicate clauses, often used in written Chinese. It is also often used to express ‘furthermore’: HHSES BRIS T ASHE (ta wan quan zan chéng bing jié shou le gong si de an pai.) He completely agreed and furthermore accepted the assignment from the company. 2. He (xudn zé guan xi) Alternative ‘Or’ Relationships iE (hai shi), HE (hud zhé), 3 (hud), 77 (bU shi)...8¢2 (ji shi) Wz (hai shi) and 8# (hud zhé) are used to express the ‘or’ relationship. however #4 (hai shi) can only be used in a question, whereas 8% (hud zhé) can not. (RIE HHK? (ni lai hai shi ta lai) Will you come or will he? IRR HRABAT LL. (ni ldi hud zhé ta lai dou ké yi) It’s fine if either you or he comes. In some statements, if there is question mood, we still need to use i (hai shi): PRR EHR, AMIE CRE. (ni lai hai shi ta lai, you ni men zi ji jué ding.) It is up to you to decide whether you or he will come.RARICSA KARE BRE REE. (wo bu ji de na jian yi fu shi héi sé hai shi shén lan sé.) | can’t remember whether the clothes are black or dark blue. In addition, 884 (hud zhé) can used in a pair, iz (hai shi) can not. However, i®z (hai shi) can be used with (shi) in a pair: REAM, RA ATK, MAGE. (hud zhé qu gou wu, hud zhé qu you yong, sui bian ni) It's up to you whether we go shopping or swimming. (RelBMHE, WNBA? (ni shi hé ka féi, hai shi hé cha.) What would you like, coffee or tea? 3. FHT KR (zhuan zhé guan xi) Changing ‘but’ Relationships{8 (dan shi), Al (ké shi), BY (suT ran), #) (qué), AMM (ran ér), Re (zhi shi), # i (bu gud) etc {8 (dan shi) can be used in the second half of a sentence, and is often used with BA (sul ran) and && (jin guan). {8 (dan) can also be used alone. (HHRABBCTST, eESMiRER. (ta sul ran yi jing qi shi sui le, dan shi shen ti hén jian kang.) He is already 70 years old, but in good health. The usage of 8] (ké shi) is similar as (2 (dan shi). RS RRA, BEER]. (yu xia de hén da, ké shi ta jian chi yao chi mén.) It is raining heavily outside, but he insists ongoing out. Fz (zhi shi) is slightly adversative, in that its emphasis is less than {83 (dan shi) and Aye (ké shi). #3 (bu gud) is used in a similar way: MABRY, REART. (zhé bén shi hén hao, zhi shi tai gui le) This book is very good, it’s just that it’s too expensive. PRIM T , RE EAR IEA? (ni shud dui le, bu guo ni shi zén me zhi dao de?) You are right, but how do you know that? #]) (qué) also has a lighter meaning than the other adversatives mentioned above. HOEZAAR/|\, BIRLA. (ta nidn ji hén xiao, qué hén ji ling) She is young, but very smart.SAM (ran ér) is used in the second half of a sentence, and can sometimes be used with #]) (que). BATS TREE, AMARA —TATN (wo men xiang le hén duo ban fa, ran ér qué méi you yi gé ké xing de)