Coordinating Conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions join elements of equal grammatical rank, such as two nouns, two verbs, or two clauses. This guide covers the main Mandarin coordinating conjunctions with clear examples.
并且 / 而且 (and / and also)
Bìngqiě 并且 and érqiě 而且 both add one positive element to another, often with a slight difference in tone: 并且 feels more neutral and formal, while 而且 adds emphasis.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 他 很 聪明 ， 并且 很 努力 。 | Tā hěn cōngmíng, bìngqiě hěn nǔlì. | He is smart and also hardworking. |
| 她 会 说 英语 ， 而且 会 说 法语 。 | Tā huì shuō Yīngyǔ, érqiě huì shuō Fǎyǔ. | She can speak English and also French. |
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌟 他很聪明，并且很勤奋。 | Tā hěn cōngmíng, bìngqiě hěn qínfèn. | He is very smart, and also very hardworking. | Adds positive info |
| 🌧️ 天气很冷，而且下雪了。 | Tiānqì hěn lěng, érqiě xià xuě le. | The weather is very cold, and it is snowing. | Emphasizes situation |
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和 / 与 (and)
Hé 和 is the most common and neutral word for "and" when linking nouns or noun phrases. Yǔ 与 is more formal and written, suitable for official contexts.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 我 买 了 苹果 和 香蕉 。 | Wǒ mǎi le píngguǒ hé xiāngjiāo. | I bought apples and bananas. |
| 公司 与 合作伙伴 签署 了 协议 。 | Gōngsī yǔ hézuò huǒbàn qiānshǔ le xiéyì. | The company signed an agreement with partners. |
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🍎 我买了苹果和香蕉。 | Wǒ mǎi le píngguǒ hé xiāngjiāo. | I bought apples and bananas. | Simple list |
| 📰 报纸与杂志都放在桌子上。 | Bàozhǐ yǔ zázhì dōu fàng zài zhuōzi shàng. | The newspaper and the magazine are both on the table. | Formal tone |
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或者 / 还是 (or)
Huòzhě 或者 and háishì 还是 both mean "or" but appear in different contexts: huòzhě is used in statements and háishì in questions.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 你 想 喝 茶 或者 咖啡 ？ | Nǐ xiǎng hē chá huòzhě kāfēi? | Do you want to drink tea or coffee? |
| 他 会 坐 火车 还是 飞机 ？ | Tā huì zuò huǒchē háishì fēijī? | Will he take the train or the plane? |
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕ 你要咖啡或者茶？ | Nǐ yào kāfēi huòzhě chá? | Do you want coffee or tea? | Neutral choice |
| 🏃 你今天去公园，还是留在家里？ | Nǐ jīntiān qù gōngyuán, háishì liú zài jiālǐ? | Are you going to the park today, or staying at home? | Question choice |
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但是 / 可是 (but)
Dànshì 但是 and kěshì 可是 both introduce a contrast. They are interchangeable in spoken and written Mandarin, though 可是 sounds slightly more informal.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 我 想 去 ， 但是 天气 很 差 。 | Wǒ xiǎng qù, dànshì tiānqì hěn chà. | I want to go, but the weather is bad. |
| 她 说 会 来 ， 可是 没 出现 。 | Tā shuō huì lái, kěshì méi chūxiàn. | She said she would come, but didn't show up. |
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🍽️ 我很饿，但是没有吃的。 | Wǒ hěn è, dànshì méiyǒu chī de. | I am very hungry, but there is nothing to eat. | Contrast problem |
| 💤 他想去玩，可是太累了。 | Tā xiǎng qù wán, kěshì tài lèi le. | He wants to go play, but he is too tired. | Contrast feeling |
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所以 (so / therefore)
Suǒyǐ 所以 introduces a result or consequence and typically follows a cause. It links two clauses where the second is the outcome of the first.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 天 下雨 了 ， 所以 我们 留在 家 。 | Tiān xiàyǔ le, suǒyǐ wǒmen liú zài jiā. | It rained, so we stayed home. |
| 他 做 了 大量 准备 ， 所以 表现 很 好 。 | Tā zuò le dàliàng zhǔnbèi, suǒyǐ biǎoxiàn hěn hǎo. | He prepared a lot, so he performed well. |
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌧️ 天下雨了，所以我们打伞。 | Tiān xiàyǔ le, suǒyǐ wǒmen dǎ sǎn. | It started raining, so we opened umbrellas. | Cause and effect |
| 🔌 电灯坏了，所以用蜡烛。 | Diàn dēng huài le, suǒyǐ yòng làzhú. | The light is broken, so we use candles. | Result action |
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Summary
Coordinating conjunctions link similar elements and include 并且/而且 for "and also," 和/与 for "and," 或者/还是 for "or," 但是/可是 for "but," and 所以 for "so." Choose each conjunction based on formality and whether you are making a statement or asking a question.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025