Granted, but: 固然…，但…
固然 admits that something is true before turning to what matters more. It is an adverb, so it follows the subject — unlike 虽然, which can open the sentence. With 也 instead of 但 it accepts both sides: A is good, and B is fine too.
Structure
甲 + 固然 + 评价／事实，但（是）／可（是）+ 更重要的一面 ｜ 甲固然好，乙也不错
Explanation
Chinese words in this text can be activated to show a dictionary gloss.
means “admittedly, of course”. The speaker grants a point — usually one the listener has made or would make — and then moves the weight elsewhere: ， “Money matters, granted, but health matters more.” The first half is not denied; it is put in its place.
Because is an adverb, it sits after the subject and before the predicate: . It cannot open the sentence the way can, so is an error. The second clause usually starts with , , or , and often contains or : ，.
There is a second, gentler use with and no contrast: ， “Getting into university would be good, of course; not getting in wouldn’t be the end of the world either.” Here both outcomes are acceptable, and marks the preferred one.
What cannot do is lead to a simple result. ， is wrong: once something has been “granted”, the sentence has to turn, either with or with .
Correct
Say each one out loud before moving on. The audio is a reference pronunciation, not a model to imitate exactly — match the tone contour, not the voice.
钱固然重要，但健康更重要。錢固然重要，但健康更重要。
Qián (second tone, rising) gùrán (fourth tone, falling) zhòngyào, (fourth tone, falling) dàn (fourth tone, falling) jiànkāng (fourth tone, falling) gèng (fourth tone, falling) zhòngyào. (fourth tone, falling)···
Money matters, granted — but health matters more.
这个办法固然很好，可是需要的时间太长了。這個辦法固然很好，可是需要的時間太長了。
Zhège (fourth tone, falling) bànfǎ (fourth tone, falling) gùrán (fourth tone, falling) hěn (third tone, dipping) hǎo, (third tone, dipping) kěshì (third tone, dipping) xūyào (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) shíjiān (second tone, rising) tài (fourth tone, falling) cháng (second tone, rising) le. (neutral tone)···
It’s a good method, admittedly, but it takes far too long.
能得第一名固然好，得不到也没关系。能得第一名固然好，得不到也沒關係。
Néng (second tone, rising) dé (second tone, rising) dì (fourth tone, falling) yī (first tone, high and level) míng (second tone, rising) gùrán (fourth tone, falling) hǎo, (third tone, dipping) dé (second tone, rising) bú (second tone, rising) dào (fourth tone, falling) yě (third tone, dipping) méi (second tone, rising) guānxi. (first tone, high and level)···
Coming first would be nice, of course; not coming first is fine too.
Incorrect — Common mistakes
These sentences are wrong. They are printed here on purpose, each one paired with the repair and the reason, because the error you can recognise is the error you stop making.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 固然钱很重要，但健康更重要。
Correct
Correct sentence: 钱固然很重要，但健康更重要。
Why: 固然 is an adverb and follows the subject. Only 虽然 may stand before it.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 他固然很聪明，所以考得很好。
Correct
Correct sentence: 他固然很聪明，但成绩好也离不开自己的努力。
Why: After 固然 the sentence must turn, with 但 or 也. It cannot simply draw a result with 所以.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 学习方法固然重要，坚持更重要。
Correct
Correct sentence: 学习方法固然重要，但坚持更重要。
Why: In written Chinese the turn is marked: add 但 or 可是 at the head of the second clause.
Compared with
Most errors with this pattern are not errors about this pattern — they are a neighbouring pattern arriving at the wrong moment. Read these side by side.
虽然 is a conjunction and can stand before or after the subject; 固然 is an adverb and only follows it. 虽然 simply sets up a contrast, while 固然 openly grants the first point as valid — it is the voice of someone weighing two considerations, which is why it is common in essays and less so in conversation.
Concession: 虽然…但是… →Mini quiz
Question 1 / 3Total score: 0
Fill the gap: “Method matters, of course, but persistence matters more.”
学习方法固然重要，___ 坚持更重要。