Comparison of '不过' (búguò) and '但是' (dànshì)

Description

In Chinese, both '不过' (búguò) and '但是' (dànshì) mean "but" or "however," but they are used in different contexts and carry slightly different nuances.

不过 (búguò)

'不过' (búguò) means "but" or "however" and is often used to soften or moderate the previous statement. It is a more colloquial expression.

Examples with '不过'

• 天气很冷，不过我还是要去跑步。(Tiānqì hěn lěng, búguò wǒ háishì yào qù pǎobù.) - The weather is very cold, but I still want to go running.
• 他很聪明，不过有时候太自信了。(Tā hěn cōngmíng, búguò yǒu shíhòu tài zìxìn le.) - He is very smart, but sometimes he is too confident.

但是 (dànshì)

'但是' (dànshì) also means "but" or "however" and is used to express contrast or opposition between two clauses or parts of a sentence. It is a more formal expression.

Examples with '但是'

• 我喜欢看书，但是我没有时间。(Wǒ xǐhuān kàn shū, dànshì wǒ méiyǒu shíjiān.) - I like reading books, but I don't have time.
• 他想去旅行，但是现在没钱。(Tā xiǎng qù lǚxíng, dànshì xiànzài méi qián.) - He wants to travel, but he doesn't have money now.

Key Points

• '不过' (búguò) is used to soften or moderate the previous statement and is more colloquial.
• '但是' (dànshì) is used to express contrast or opposition and is more formal.
• Both words mean "but" or "however," but '不过' (búguò) is more conversational, while '但是' (dànshì) is more formal.