HSK 5 Grammar
Complete list of HSK 5 Grammar points with meaning, formation, examples and audio. Tap any point for a full explanation.
- 哪怕…也… even if (the most extreme case)… still…
- 除非…才/否则… unless… (only then)… / otherwise…
- 与其…不如… rather than… better to…
- 宁可…也不… would rather… than…
- 之所以…是因为… the reason (that)... is because... (inverted cause, result stated first)
- 一方面…(另)一方面… on one hand... on the other hand... (two aspects of one thing)
- 反而 on the contrary; instead
- 竟然 / 居然 unexpectedly; to one's surprise
- 幸亏 fortunately; luckily; thanks to
- 果然 sure enough; as expected
- 简直 simply; utterly; downright (exaggeration)
- …以来 since; ever since
- 随着 along with; as (something changes)
- 拿……来说 拿……来说 = 'take … for example / as for …' — brings up an example to illustrate a point
- 以 以 = 'with, by, take … as' — a formal coverb of means; often 以 A 为 B 'take A as B'
- 趁 趁 = 'while, taking advantage of' — do something while a good moment/condition lasts
- 至于 至于 = 'as for, as to' — shifts to a new, related sub-topic
- 到…为止 "up to... / until..." — marks the cut-off point of a period.
- 疑问代词呼应 The same question word used twice means "whatever/whoever... that same one...".
- V着V着 "while doing... (something happened)" — an ongoing action leads to a new situation.
- 从而 thus; thereby — formal; the first clause is the means, the second the result it brings about
- 总之 in short; in a word; anyway — sums up or wraps up what was said
- 换句话说 in other words — restates the previous point in a different way
- 也就是说 that is to say; which means — explains or draws a conclusion from what was just said
- 此外 besides; in addition; apart from this — formal, adds a further point
- 相反 相反: 'on the contrary', introduces an opposite situation
- 反正 反正: 'anyway / in any case', the result holds regardless
- 何况 何况: 'let alone / much less', a stronger case follows
- 否则 否则: 'otherwise' (more formal / written)
- 至多/最多 至多/最多: 'at most' (upper limit)
- 未必 未必: not necessarily; a tentative, softened denial of a conclusion
- 难免 难免: hard to avoid; bound to happen (unavoidably)
- 难怪 / 怪不得 难怪 / 怪不得: no wonder; that explains it (realizing the cause)
- 何必 何必: why bother …?; there's no need to (rhetorical)
- 免得 so as to avoid / lest (do something now to prevent a bad outcome)
- 省得 so as to save the trouble of / so as to avoid (having to do sth troublesome)
- 以免 in order to avoid / so as to prevent (formal, written)
- 以便 in order to / so that (it will be convenient to) — introduces a purpose (written)
- 为的是 the aim is to / the purpose is (spells out the goal behind an action)
- 舍不得 cannot bear to (part with / do) / be reluctant to spend
- V过来 / V过去 V + 过来 / 过去: 过来 = turning toward a normal, conscious state (recovering); 过去 = turning away from it (losing consciousness), or physically flipping/turning something.
- 形容词 + 得很 Adjective + 得很: a colloquial way to say 'very / extremely' — 好得很 'really good', 累得很 'dead tired'.
- ……着呢 …着呢: adjective/verb + 着呢 emphasizes an ongoing state and its high degree — 忙着呢 'really busy', 远着呢 'quite far'.
- 语气助词「嘛」 Sentence-final 嘛: 'obviously', the reason is self-evident, or gentle persuasion
- 「可 + 形 + 了」 可 + adjective + 了: colloquial emphasis on degree — 'so / really…'
- 经（过） 经（过）'through / by way of' marks the means or intermediary by which something happens
- 凭 凭 'relying on / based on / by' marks the basis or grounds for an action
- 沿着 / 顺着 沿着 / 顺着 'along / following' a path or route
- 针对 针对 'aimed at / directed at / in response to' a specific target or problem
- 于 于 (written) 'in / at / to / from', attaching time, place, or source after a verb
- 进行 + 动词 进行 + verb: to carry out / conduct (a formal action), formal light verb
- 善于 + 动词 善于 + verb: to be good at, skilled in doing something
- 在于 在于: to lie in, consist in, depend on (the key point is…)
- …以内 / …之内 …以内 / …之内: within (a range, time or amount)
- …上下 …上下: approximately, around (a number)
- …前后 …前后: around (a point in time), thereabouts
- 一 + 量 + 比 + 一 + 量 一…比一…: more and more with each one/day
- 像…似的 Simile: 'like…', 'as if…' — 像 + noun/clause + 似的
- 相当于 / 等于 'be equivalent to / equal to / amount to' — A 相当于/等于 B
- 比不上 / 赶不上 'cannot compare with / cannot match / fall behind' — A 比不上/赶不上 B
- …什么的 '…and so on / and stuff like that' (colloquial) — X 什么的
- …之类（的） 'and the like / things of that kind' — X 之类（的）
- 非…不可 'must / simply have to / bound to' — 非 + VP + 不可
- 总算 'finally / at last' (after a long wait, with relief) — 总算
- 用得着／用不着 to need / not need; there is / isn't any need to
- 合得来／合不来 to get along well / not get along (with someone)
- 对得起／对不起 to be worthy of / do right by sb, or to fail / let sb down (in conscience)
- 令人 + 感受 令人 + feeling: cause people to feel …, make one feel … (formal/written)
- 使得 使得: cause / bring about (a result), lead to
- 显得 显得: appear / seem (to show a certain quality)
- 懒得 懒得: not feel like (doing), can't be bothered to
- 一旦…就… Once (something happens), then… — a hypothetical or inevitable consequence
- 每当…(就)… Every time / whenever (something happens), (then)…
- 反过来(说) Conversely / looking at it the other way (round)
- 可见 (so) it can be seen that / evidently
- 与此同时 At the same time / meanwhile
- 从此 From then on / from now on / ever since
- 亲自 亲自: (do something) in person / oneself
- 特意 / 专门 特意/专门: specially / on purpose, for a particular aim
- 干脆 干脆: might as well / just — take a clean, decisive course
- 明明 明明: clearly / plainly (it is so), yet… — sets up a contrast
- 一向 always, all along (a consistent trait or habit from the past up to now)
- 仍然 / 依然 still, as before (a situation continues unchanged; written/formal)
- 照样 all the same, just as before (do it anyway, unaffected by some factor)
- 算了 forget it, let it go (drop the matter; stop bothering)