<blockquote>
  <p>可是, 但是 and  但 (<em>但 is the shortened form of 但是</em>) can all be translated as 'but'</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Example: "You can drink, but you can't smoke"</p>

<ul>
<li><p>"喝酒可以，可是不能抽煙" (可是 is more literary)</p></li>
<li><p>"喝酒可以，但是不能抽煙" / "喝酒可以，但不能抽煙"  (但是 and 但 are more colloquial)</p></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>不过, and 然而 can both be translated as 'however' or 'but'</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Example: "You can drink, however, you can't smoke"</p>

<ul>
<li><p>"喝酒可以，不过不能抽煙" (不过 is more colloquial)</p></li>
<li><p>"喝酒可以，然而不能抽煙" (然而 is more literary)</p></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>When '而' is acting as a short form  of '而且', it means 'and also'</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Examples: </p>

<ul>
<li><p>快而凖 = 快速而且準確 (fast and (also) accurate)</p></li>
<li><p>簡而清 = 簡潔而且清楚 (brief and (also) clear)</p></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>而 functions as "but" or 'however' when it is in the following structures:</p>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li><p>[能(A) 而 不能(B)] = [can (A) but can't (B)]  </p></li>
<li><p>[可(A) 而 不可(B)] = [allowed to (A) but not allowed to (B)] </p></li>
</ul>

<p>Examples:</p>

<p>[能喝酒 而 不能抽煙]</p>

<p>[可喝酒 而 不可抽煙]</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>而 also functions as "but" or 'however' when it is in the following structure [(verb) (A) 而 (不 verb) (B)] = [(verb) (A) but (not verb) (B)]</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Examples:</p>

<p>[擅攻 而 不擅守] (good at attack but not good at defend)</p>

<p>[愛酒 而 不愛煙] (like wine but not like cigarette)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-18T03:18:20.440Z
Okay, I understand that 可是 and 然而 are more literal while 但是 and 不过 are more colloquial but I don't exactly understand what the difference between 可是 and 然而 or 但是 and 不过 is ("however" pretty much means the same thing as "but" except it's a little more formal). I'm also wondering, since VA而不VB means "but/however," is it synonymous with 可是, 但是, 不过 or 然而?
Nicholas
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-17T01:48:17.357Z
2019-02-17T02:01:20.873Z
2019-02-17T02:01:20.873Z
Tang Ho
<p>What is the difference between 可是, 但是, 但, 而, 不过, and 然而?</p>

<p>All of these mean "but" and I can't find any information in my dictionary on what differentiates them.</p>

<meaning><word-choice>
What is the difference between 可是, 但是, 但, 而, 不过, and 然而?
# What is the difference between 可是, 但是, 但, 而, 不过, and 然而?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-02-17)

What is the difference between 可是, 但是, 但, 而, 不过, and 然而?

All of these mean "but" and I can't find any information in my dictionary on what differentiates them.

**Tags:** meaning, word-choice


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-02-17. Score: 2

> 可是, 但是 and 但 (*但 is the shortened form of 但是*) can all be translated as 'but'

Example: "You can drink, but you can't smoke"

* "喝酒可以，可是不能抽煙" (可是 is more literary)
* "喝酒可以，但是不能抽煙" / "喝酒可以，但不能抽煙" (但是 and 但 are more colloquial)

> 不过, and 然而 can both be translated as 'however' or 'but'

Example: "You can drink, however, you can't smoke"

* "喝酒可以，不过不能抽煙" (不过 is more colloquial)
* "喝酒可以，然而不能抽煙" (然而 is more literary)

> When '而' is acting as a short form of '而且', it means 'and also'

Examples:

* 快而凖 = 快速而且準確 (fast and (also) accurate)
* 簡而清 = 簡潔而且清楚 (brief and (also) clear)

> 而 functions as "but" or 'however' when it is in the following structures:

* [能(A) 而 不能(B)] = [can (A) but can't (B)]
* [可(A) 而 不可(B)] = [allowed to (A) but not allowed to (B)]

Examples:

[能喝酒 而 不能抽煙]

[可喝酒 而 不可抽煙]

> 而 also functions as "but" or 'however' when it is in the following structure [(verb) (A) 而 (不 verb) (B)] = [(verb) (A) but (not verb) (B)]

Examples:

[擅攻 而 不擅守] (good at attack but not good at defend)

[愛酒 而 不愛煙] (like wine but not like cigarette)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Okay, I understand that 可是 and 然而 are more literal while 但是 and 不过 are more colloquial but I don't exactly understand what the difference between 可是 and 然而 or 但是 and 不过 is ("however" pretty much means the same thing as "but" except it's a little more formal). I'm also wondering, since VA而不VB means "but/however," is it synonymous with 可是, 但是, 不过 or 然而?  

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