倒
HSK 4- Emphasis
Structure (结构 jiégòu)
Meaning (意思 yìsi)
The adverb 倒 expresses a situation contrary to what is normal or expected, carrying the meaning of 'instead, on the contrary'.
Explanation (解释 jiěshì)
The adverb 倒 indicates a situation that is unexpected or contrary to prediction or common expectation, and can be translated as "but," "on the contrary," or "instead." It does not express as strong a contrast as 但是, but carries a milder tone, sometimes slightly ironic.
倒 can also be used to concede a point before introducing a contrasting or more important remark. For example: "This shirt is nice enough, but it's too expensive."
Examples (例句 lìjù)(5)
- 你说的倒容易。繁: 你說的倒容易。Nǐ shuō de dào róngyì.
You make it sound easy.
- 这件衣服倒不贵。繁: 這件衣服倒不貴。Zhè jiàn yīfu dào bù guì.
This piece of clothing isn't expensive after all.
- 他看起来很小，力气倒不小。繁: 他看起來很小，力氣倒不小。Tā kàn qǐlái hěn xiǎo, lìqi dào bù xiǎo.
He looks small, but he's quite strong.
- 平时很安静，今天倒说了很多话。繁: 平時很安靜，今天倒說了很多話。Píngshí hěn ānjìng, jīntiān dào shuō le hěn duō huà.
Normally he is very quiet, but today he spoke a lot.
- 我想去，他倒不想去。Wǒ xiǎng qù, tā dào bù xiǎng qù.
I want to go, but he doesn't want to go.
Common mistakes
- Wrong:倒他很聪明。Correct:他倒很聪明。
倒 is an adverb that must come after the subject and cannot stand alone at the beginning of a sentence.
- Wrong:这个问题不难倒。Correct:这个问题倒不难。
倒 must precede the verb or adjective it modifies and cannot stand at the end of a sentence.