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Learn Hardcore Chinese: érshì - but rather

Hardcore Chinese
/Lesson 17
/érshì

érshì

Word

而是érshì

Meaning

but rather

Part of speech

conjunction

Pronunciation

Course

Hardcore Chinese

Lesson

Usages of érshì

他tā　学xué　中文zhōngwén　不bù　是shì　为了wèile　考试kǎoshì，　而是érshì　因为yīnwèi　对duì　中文zhōngwén　有yǒu　兴趣xìngqù。tā xué zhōngwén bù shì wèile kǎoshì, érshì yīnwèi duì zhōngwén yǒu xìngqù.

He studies Chinese not for exams, but because he is interested in Chinese.

我wǒ　想xiǎng　提高tígāo　中文zhōngwén　水平shuǐpíng，　不bù　是shì　为了wèile　让ràng　成绩chéngjì　更gèng　好hǎo，　而是érshì　为了wèile　可kě以yǐ　跟gēn　更gèng　多duō　朋友péngyou　自由zìyóu　表达biǎodá　自己zìjǐ　的de　想法xiǎngfǎ。wǒ xiǎng tígāo zhōngwén shuǐpíng, bù shì wèile ràng chéngjì gèng hǎo, érshì wèile kěyǐ gēn gèng duō péngyou zìyóu biǎodá zìjǐ de xiǎngfǎ.

I want to improve my Chinese level not to make my grades better, but so that I can freely express my ideas with more friends.

她tā　说shuō　自己zìjǐ　玩wán　游戏yóuxì　不bù　是shì　为了wèile　赢yíng，　而是érshì　为了wèile　跟gēn　朋友péngyou　一起yìqǐ　玩wán　得de　很hěn　高兴gāoxìng。tā shuō zìjǐ wán yóuxì bù shì wèile yíng, érshì wèile gēn péngyou yìqǐ wán de hěn gāoxìng.

She says she plays games not to win, but to have fun playing together with friends.

她tā　说shuō　自己zìjǐ　睡觉shuìjiào　的de　时候shíhou　喜欢xǐhuan　开着kāizhe　空调kōngtiáo，　不bù　是shì　因为yīnwèi　外面wàimiàn　很hěn　热rè，　而是érshì　因为yīnwèi　这样zhèyàng　比较bǐjiào　安心ānxīn。tā shuō zìjǐ shuìjiào de shíhou xǐhuan kāizhe kōngtiáo, bù shì yīnwèi wàimiàn hěn rè, érshì yīnwèi zhèyàng bǐjiào ānxīn.

She says that when she sleeps she likes to leave the air conditioner on not because it’s hot outside, but because that way she feels more at ease.

他tā　说shuō　最zuì　重要zhòngyào　的de　不bù　是shì　礼物lǐwù　多duō　贵guì，　而是érshì　送sòng　礼物lǐwù　的de　人rén。tā shuō zuì zhòngyào de bù shì lǐwù duō guì, érshì sòng lǐwù de rén.

He says what matters most is not how expensive the gift is, but the person who gives it.

我wǒ　觉得juéde　学习xuéxí　中zhōng　最zuì　重要zhòngyào　的de　不bù　是shì　记住jìzhù　每měi　个gè　生词shēngcí，　而是érshì　知道zhīdào　怎zěn么me　用yòng　它们tāmen。wǒ juéde xuéxí zhōng zuì zhòngyào de bù shì jìzhù měi gè shēngcí, érshì zhīdào zěnme yòng tāmen.

I think the most important thing in learning is not memorizing every new word, but knowing how to use them.

夏天xiàtiān　的de　晚上wǎnshang，　公园gōngyuán　里lǐ　很hěn　多duō　人rén　不bù　想xiǎng　一直yìzhí　在zài　开kāi　着zhe　空调kōngtiáo　的de　房间fángjiān　里lǐ，　而是érshì　想xiǎng　出来chūlái　散步sànbù。xiàtiān de wǎnshang, gōngyuán lǐ hěn duō rén bù xiǎng yìzhí zài kāi zhe kōngtiáo de fángjiān lǐ, érshì xiǎng chūlái sànbù.

On summer evenings, many people in the park don’t want to stay in air‑conditioned rooms; instead, they want to come out for a walk.

记者jìzhě　又yòu　问wèn　她tā，　为什么wèishénme　不bù　在zài　家jiā　玩wán　游戏yóuxì，　而是érshì　每天měitiān　来lái　公园gōngyuán　打dǎ　篮球lánqiú。jìzhě yòu wèn tā, wèishénme bù zài jiā wán yóuxì, érshì měitiān lái gōngyuán dǎ lánqiú.

The reporter then asked her why she doesn’t play games at home, but instead comes to the park to play basketball every day.

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