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Mandarin Chinese · HSK 3.0 Band 2 · Chapter 38

虽然累但是高兴 Tired but happy

Suīrán lèi dànshì gāoxìng

Huang An and Wei Dong walk outside, reflecting. Vocab: 虽然 / 但是 / 不过 / 而且 / 重要 / 容易 / 困难 / 努力 / 进步 / 成功. Introduces 转折复句 (二65 — although).

Dialogue

今天怎么样 — How was today?

卫东黄huáng安ān, 今jīn天tiān怎zěn么me样yàng? Huang An, how was today?
黄安虽suī然rán累lèi, 但dàn是shì高gāo兴xìng. 今jīn天tiān的de会huì议yì结jié果guǒ不bú错cuò. Tired but happy. Today's meeting result was good.
卫东太tài好hǎo了le. 工gōng作zuò虽suī然rán困kùn难nán, 但dàn是shì有yǒu进jìn步bù就jiù好hǎo. Great. Even hard work feels good if there's progress.
黄安是shì的de. 项xiàng目mù以yǐ前qián很hěn复fù杂zá, 现xiàn在zài我wǒ看kàn简jiǎn单dān了le. Yes. The project used to be complex; now I see it as simpler.
卫东这zhè就jiù是shì进jìn步bù. 努nǔ力lì的de人rén一yí定dìng会huì成chéng功gōng. That's progress. Hard workers always succeed.
黄安我wǒ也yě想xiǎng成chéng功gōng. 但dàn是shì路lù还hái长cháng. I want to succeed too. But the road's still long.

Dialogue

虽然简单, 但是重要 — Simple but important

卫东我wǒ看kàn, 方fāng红hóng做zuò得dé不bú错cuò. I think Fang Hong is doing well.
黄安虽suī然rán她tā的de工gōng作zuò简jiǎn单dān, 但dàn是shì很hěn重zhòng要yào. 不bù简jiǎn单dān的de工gōng作zuò也yě都dōu从cóng这zhè里lǐ开kāi始shǐ. Although her work is simple, it's important. Even hard work starts here.
卫东对duì. 而ér且qiě她tā努nǔ力lì. 虽suī然rán才cái来lái一yí个gè月yuè, 已yǐ经jīng有yǒu进jìn步bù了le. Right. And she's hard-working. Only here a month, but already progressing.
黄安我wǒ也yě跟gēn她tā说shuō: 不bú要yào怕pà困kùn难nán. 困kùn难nán就jiù是shì机jī会huì. I told her: don't fear difficulty. Difficulty is opportunity.
卫东这zhè是shì好hǎo的de看kàn法fǎ. 你nǐ这zhè位wèi经jīng理lǐ做zuò得dé真zhēn好hǎo. That's a good view. You're a good manager.
黄安你nǐ太tài好hǎo了le. 我wǒ也yě是shì新xīn经jīng理lǐ. You're too kind. I'm new at managing too.

Dialogue

回家的路上 — On the way home

卫东黄huáng安ān, 我wǒ快kuài要yào回huí家jiā了le. 你nǐ呢ne? Huang An, I'm heading home. You?
黄安我wǒ也yě是shì. 虽suī然rán累lèi, 但dàn是shì想xiǎng跟gēn同tóng事shì一yì起qǐ吃chī个gè饭fàn. Me too. Tired, but want to grab dinner with colleagues.
卫东好hǎo. 你nǐ慢màn慢màn来lái. OK. Take your time.
黄安老lǎo师shī, 谢xiè谢xiè您nín. 跟gēn您nín说shuō话huà, 我wǒ很hěn高gāo兴xìng. Teacher, thank you. Talking with you makes me happy.
卫东别bié客kè气qì. 下xià次cì见jiàn. Don't mention it. See you next time.
黄安再zài见jiàn, 老lǎo师shī. Bye, teacher.

Vocabulary

汉字	Pinyin	POS	Meaning
虽然	suīrán	conj.	although
但是	dànshì	conj.	but (Bk1 revisit)
不过	búguò	conj.	(Bk1 revisit) but / however
而且	érqiě	conj.	moreover
又	yòu	adv.	(Bk1 revisit) again; also
重要	zhòngyào	adj.	important (Bk2 revisit)
容易	róngyì	adj.	easy
困难	kùnnán	adj./n.	difficult; difficulty
努力	nǔlì	v./adj.	try hard; hard-working
进步	jìnbù	v./n.	progress; advance
成功	chénggōng	v./n.	succeed; success

New characters

汉字	Pinyin	Meaning
步	bù	step (in 进步) 进步 jìnbù — progress; advance跑步 pǎobù — go for a run
努	nǔ	try hard (in 努力) 努力 nǔlì — try hard; hard-working
力	lì	strength (Level 1 revisit; in 努力) 努力 nǔlì — try hard; hard-working能力 nénglì — ability; capability
成	chéng	become; succeed (in 成功 / 成为) 成功 chénggōng — succeed; success成绩 chéngjì — grade; result成长 chéngzhǎng — grow; develop
功	gōng	achievement (in 成功) 成功 chénggōng — succeed; success
而	ér	and; but (in 而且) 而且 érqiě — moreover而是 érshì — but rather (in 不是...而是)
且	qiě	and; moreover (in 而且) 而且 érqiě — moreover
位	wèi	measure word for people (later)
容	róng	contain; allow (in 容易) 容易 róngyì — easy
易	yì	easy; change 容易 róngyì — easy

Hanzi — writing & recognition

虽

suī although (in 虽然) Writing

9 strokes left-right

Modern: appears chiefly in 虽然 (although) — anchors the concessive compound. Pairs with 然 to form the conjunction.

但

dàn but (in 但是) Writing

7 strokes left-right radical 亻

Compound: 亻 (person) + 旦 (dàn, phonetic). Modern: "but / however." Anchors 但是 (this chapter) and 不但 (ch12, "not only").

而

ér and; but (in 而且) Writing

6 strokes standalone

Modern: classical conjunction surviving in fixed compounds: 而且 (moreover, this chapter), 而后 (and then), 不但…而且… (not only…but also, ch12).

努

nǔ try hard (in 努力) Writing

7 strokes top-bottom radical 力

Compound: 奴 (slave / servant) + 力 (strength). Original sense: "putting in effort." Anchors 努力 (try hard, this chapter). The 力 (strength) cluster.

困

kùn sleepy; trapped (Bk2 ch1 revisit; in 困难) Recognition

7 strokes enclosure radical 囗

力

lì strength (Level 1 revisit; in 努力) Recognition

2 strokes standalone

进

jìn enter; advance (Level 1 revisit; in 进步) Recognition

7 strokes enclosure radical 辶

步

bù step (in 进步) Recognition

7 strokes top-bottom

成

chéng become; succeed (in 成功 / 成为) Recognition

6 strokes standalone

Grammar

转折复句 — 虽然…但是… Concessive compound — although…but…

"虽然 X 但是 Y"是一种转折复句, 表示"X 是事实, 但是 Y 跟 X 不一样 / 不期待". 句式: 虽然 + 第一句, 但是 + 第二句. 例: 虽然累, 但是高兴 = "tired, but happy". 关键: (1) 虽然只在第一句, 不重复. (2) 但是也可以用不过 / 可是替换. 不过比较软. (3) "虽然" 一定要跟"但是 / 不过 / 可是"配, 不能单独用. *虽然累, 我去 (错). (4) 跟"因为…所以…"对比: 因为 = "X 引起 Y", 虽然 = "X 但 Y 不同".

虽然 X 但是 Y is the concessive compound: "X is true, but Y differs / contradicts." Pattern: 虽然 + clause 1, 但是 + clause 2. 虽然累, 但是高兴 ("tired, but happy"). KEY: (1) 虽然 only in clause 1, never repeated. (2) 但是 can swap with 不过 / 可是 (不过 is softer, 可是 is medium). (3) 虽然 MUST pair with 但是 / 不过 — never alone. *虽然累, 我去 is wrong. (4) Contrast with 因为…所以… — 因为 = "X causes Y," 虽然 = "X but Y differs."

虽然累, 但是高兴. Suīrán lèi, dànshì gāoxìng. Tired but happy.
虽然这个工作困难, 但是我喜欢. Suīrán zhège gōngzuò kùnnán, dànshì wǒ xǐhuan. Although this job is hard, I like it.
虽然没成功, 不过我们努力了. Suīrán méi chénggōng, búguò wǒmen nǔlì le. Although we didn't succeed, we tried hard.
虽然慢, 但是有进步. Suīrán màn, dànshì yǒu jìnbù. Slow but improving.

Pronunciation

复合句的"两段式"节奏 Compound-sentence two-part rhythm

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