不过/不過 búguò — but, however (a lighter contrast than 但是)

Meanings

1. 1

   but, however (a lighter contrast than 但是)

   过, to exceed. 不过 softens what follows into a small "except that" rather than a real reversal: it adds a minor reservation onto an otherwise settled sentence, where 但是 can carry a full change of direction. A sentence can even open with 不过 the way English opens one with "still" or "though".

   conjunction
2. 2

   only, merely, no more than

   adverb

   Literally "not exceeding": 不过是 says a thing is no more than what follows — 他不过是个学生, he is just a student, nothing grander — the same 过 that makes the conjunction, now measuring a quantity instead of a clause.

Character breakdown

• 不

  bù (fourth tone, falling)

  not, no — the general negative, placed before verbs and adjectives

  4 strokesRadical 一
• 过/過

  guò (fourth tone, falling) guo (neutral tone)

  to cross, to pass by, to go through; to spend (time); to exceed; (unstressed guo) the experiential aspect marker

  6 strokes⿺辶寸Radical 辵

Common combinations

• 不过是
  búguò (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling)

  to be nothing more than, merely

Example sentences

• 这个办法不错，不过太贵了。/這個辦法不錯，不過太貴了。Zhège (fourth tone, falling) bànfǎ (fourth tone, falling) búcuò, (second tone, rising) búguò (second tone, rising) tài (fourth tone, falling) guì (fourth tone, falling) le. (neutral tone)···

  This method is good, but it’s a bit too expensive.

• 他不过是个孩子，你别对他太认真。/他不過是個孩子，你別對他太認真。Tā (first tone, high and level) búguò (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) háizi, (second tone, rising) nǐ (third tone, dipping) bié (second tone, rising) duì (fourth tone, falling) tā (first tone, high and level) tài (fourth tone, falling) rènzhēn. (fourth tone, falling)···

  He’s just a child — don’t be so hard on him.

Similar words

Words containing 不

• 不bù (fourth tone, falling)not (negates verbs, adjectives and modal verbs)
• 不但búdàn (second tone, rising)not only … (but also)
• 差不多chàbuduō (fourth tone, falling)about the same, close enough, not much different
• 不管bùguǎn (fourth tone, falling)no matter (what/how…), regardless of
• 对不起/對不起duìbuqǐ (fourth tone, falling)sorry; excuse me
• 不客气/不客氣bú (second tone, rising) kèqi (fourth tone, falling)you’re welcome, not at all

Words containing 过

• 过/過guò (fourth tone, falling)ever, have done before (experience particle)
• 过去/過去guòqù (fourth tone, falling)the past, formerly
• 经过/經過jīngguò (first tone, high and level)to pass by, to go through (a place)
• 过程/過程guòchéng (fourth tone, falling)process, course (of an event)
• 难过/難過nánguò (second tone, rising)sad, upset