却 (however / yet)
"…yet…" — the quiet contrast
- but却 = "however / yet", placed before the verb (not at the front).
- he / him他very很rope累，but却very很to feel happy开心 = "he's tired, yet very happy."
- but却 sits inside the second clause, before its verb.
… ，Subj + but却 + Predicate
- but却 marks contrast from inside the clause, before the verb.
he他very很tired累，yet却very很happy开心。
- he / him他very很rope累，but却very很to feel happy开心 = "he's tired, yet very happy."
Practice
He's tired, yet very happy: 他很累，____ 很开心。
Subj + 却 + Predicate = yet / however: 他很累,却很开心.
but却 vs but但是
- but但是 opens the clause; but却 sits before the verb, never at the very front.
Explore
Correct or broken?
却 marks a contrast INSIDE the second clause — after its subject, never sentence-initial.
Practice
Where does 却 go?
却 sits before the verb; 但是 opens the clause.
Practice
却 can open a clause like 但是 (却，我很开心).
No — 却 must come before the verb, not at the front.
Recap
Key idea
- … ，Subj + but却 + Predicate — "however / yet"
- he / him他very很rope累，but却very很to feel happy开心
- but却 goes before the verb, not at the clause front (unlike but但是)
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — "But" statements.