Repeating the adjective concedes a point before turning to what matters more: 麻烦是麻烦，但是它让我们重新认识了自己的生活。
The potential complement 不动 means you lack the strength to do the action: 疼得连楼梯都爬不动。
得 after a verb introduces how the action is done or to what degree: 说得客气一点儿；热得受不了。
得 introduces a complement describing the degree or result of an action or state: 我紧张得手都在抖 / 我的心跳得特别快。
着 after a verb marks an ongoing or accompanying action: 看着窗外的城市和大山过去。
得 links an adjective to a phrase describing its degree or result.
得 after an adjective introduces a complement describing the degree, often with a vivid comparison, as in 热闹得像过节一样 or 白得发亮.
得 introduces a complement showing the degree or result of an action or state, as in 累得只好坐下来休息 or 激动得说不出话来.
Repeating "……的时候" lets you contrast two different times or situations: 好的时候和不好的时候差别很大。
的话 attaches to a clause to mark it as a condition, similar to "if": 东西质量好的话，用起来跟新的差不多。
于是 links a situation to the action that naturally followed, "so / thereupon": 裤子越来越紧，于是决定去健身房锻炼。
This pattern emphasises a complete zero: 重要的事一件也没做；一次也不看。
"As soon as A happens, B happens." The action after 一 immediately triggers the action after 就, as in 我们一见面就笑了.
Shows that the second action follows immediately once the first one starts.
Describes a state or action that continues without change over time.
一直 marks a state that continued without change, and 直到 gives the moment it ended.
"Not only A, but also B" — the 而且 part adds something further and often more important, as in 不仅是美丽的风景，而且是那种让人慢下来的生活.
"Not only... but also..." links two related results: 学车不但让我学会了开车，也让我明白了耐心的重要。
"Not only A, but also B" adds a second, often stronger point: 广场舞不但能锻炼身体，而且给退休以后的生活增加了不少乐趣。
不但 introduces the first fact and 而且 adds a second, stronger one about the same subject: 他不但记得每个人的名字，而且知道谁家白天没有人。
'no longer A, but instead B' — an old way replaced by a new one.
'not only... but even more...' — the second part is the deeper or more important point.
Softens a claim by rejecting one interpretation and offering a smaller, simpler one instead.
'if not A, then B' — the situation is always one of two (often undesirable) options.
Used at the end of a sentence to soften or emphasize a statement about how things are: 效果不是马上就能看到的。
"Not A, but B" replaces a wrong idea with the right one: 你不是在记字，而是在认识一种古老的文化。
不是 rejects the wrong explanation and 而是 supplies the right one: 问题不是时间不够，而是我总是先做容易的事。
'no need to...' — a soft way to say something is unnecessary. Note the tone change: bú yòng.
"No matter A, B still holds." 不管 introduces a condition that makes no difference, and 都 stresses that the result never changes, as in 不管刮风下雨，我都得带它出去散步.
"Can also be considered as..." — used to reframe something in a positive light: 也算是一种收获。
Marks a range or progression between a starting point and an ending point.
从来不 means "never (as a habit)" and describes something the speaker has never done and does not do, as in 我从来不告诉网上的朋友自己的地址.
"Like / the same as ..." compares one action or thing to another: 像老师检查作业一样检查大家的垃圾。
"First... then..." 先 marks the first action, 然后 marks what happens next: 中医大夫先给我把脉，然后问我最近睡得好不好。
'no matter how (adj), still...' — an extreme degree that still cannot change the result.
到处 means "all over the place" and is normally followed by 都, showing there are no exceptions.
"Even if ... still ..." — the result holds even under an extreme condition: 即使你每天只学三五个字，一年以后你也会认识一千多个汉字。
却 means "yet; however" and marks a result that goes against what you would expect; unlike 但是 it comes after the subject, as in 人们连机器都没有，却能……
原来 introduces something you have just realized was true all along: 原来，我比自己想的更勇敢。
"On the contrary; instead" — the result is the opposite of what you would expect: 结果反而更差了。
"Only if A, then B" states a necessary condition for a result: 只有读研才能让自己更有竞争力。
"As long as A, then B." 只要 introduces a sufficient condition, and 就 marks the result: 只要用手机选好菜，饭就送到了门口。
States a sufficient condition: once it's met, the result naturally follows.
只要 gives the one condition that is enough, and 都 or 就 states the result: 只要努力，属什么都一样。
States a condition that, once met, applies to every possible subject (谁, 什么, etc.).
"(The key/problem) lies in..." points to where the real cause is: 问题在于我们是不是清楚自己真正需要什么。
Expresses that something appears or seems to be the case, without stating it as fact.
"As if; just like." 好像 plus 一样 wraps around a situation to say something seems or feels that way, as in 好像从来没有分开过一样.
A basic conditional: if the first clause is true, the second clause follows.
'to be interested in...' — the object of interest goes after 对, before 感兴趣.
"For / as far as X is concerned" gives whose point of view the statement is true from: 对很多年轻人来说，咖啡不只是一种饮料。
对……来说 marks whose point of view you are taking, and is often used twice to contrast two people: 对我来说……；对他来说……。
"Although / despite A, still B" admits a fact but keeps the conclusion: 尽管有这些问题，我还是觉得方向不会改变。
An emphatic negation meaning "is definitely not...": 并不是随便穿穿就行的。
Placed before a verb phrase to show someone cannot resist doing something.
才 indicates that something happens only under a certain condition, often translated as "only then": 我把工作都安排好了，这样才能放心地休息。
The 把 structure moves the object before the verb; 一遍 means doing the action once from start to finish.
The 把 construction moves the object before the verb to emphasize what happens to it, often followed by a result or complement: 把空调调暖和一点儿。
The 把 structure moves the object before the verb to show what is done to it: 老人把油倒进瓶子里。
把 moves the object in front of the verb when you say what happens to it, especially where it ends up.
The 把 structure highlights where something ends up being left or kept: 工作把我留在了这里；把心留在了远方。
"To treat/mistake A for B." 把 moves the object before the verb 当成 (to regard as): 我总是紧张地把油门当成刹车踩。
"No matter (whether) A or B, the result C still holds." It shows that a condition doesn't change the outcome: 无论你想吃小吃，还是想买便宜的衣服，夜市都能满足你。
无论 is followed by a choice or a question word, and 都 in the second half says the result never changes.
"No matter..." 无论 introduces a question word or choice, and the following clause states a result that holds regardless: 无论假期怎么过，重要的是让自己真正放松下来。
"Both... and..." links two simultaneous benefits or qualities: 买二手的东西既省钱，又不用等厂家生产新的。
"Since (a fact already holds)..." draws a conclusion from an accepted premise: 既然本科学历已经不够用了，很多人觉得只有读研才能让自己更有竞争力。
"Since (a fact is already true), then naturally..." draws a conclusion from an accepted premise: 既然白天大家都在上班上学，晚上出来放松一下，也就成了一种生活习惯。
既然 states a fact both speakers already accept, and 就 draws the natural conclusion from it.
Contrasts an original plan or expectation with an unexpected actual outcome.
比 makes the comparison and 还 says the difference is bigger than expected: 比一份午饭还贵。
甚至 means "even" and introduces the most extreme or surprising case in a list or statement, as in 我很累，甚至有点儿后悔养了它.
"Not until A did B happen." 直到 marks the turning point, 才 stresses that B happened late: 直到生病住院，我才明白健康有多重要。
'it seems... but actually...' — contrasts appearance with reality.
看起来 gives the first impression, and 其实 corrects it with the real situation.
"Surprisingly; unexpectedly" marks something contrary to what you would expect: 很多城市里长大的孩子竟然听不懂爷爷奶奶的方言了。
'although... but...' — Chinese uses both connectors together in one sentence.
Introduces a concession, followed by a contrasting main point.
让 + person + verb expresses letting or telling someone to do something: 大夫给我开了一些中药，让我每天喝一次。
'makes people...' — 让 introduces the person affected and the resulting action or feeling.
A question word used twice means "whoever / whichever": 谁付了钱，谁就有面子。
"No one can..." 谁 here means "whoever/anyone," and 也 emphasizes that not even one person can do it: 谁也说服不了谁。
"The more ... the more ..." links two things that grow together: 你写得越多，就记得越清楚。
Two 越 phrases link a change in one thing to a change in another: 动作越慢，心里越安静。
越来越 shows a growing trend and is never followed by 很/非常: 越来越好 ✓, 越来越很好 ✗.
Placed before an adjective or verb to show a quality or state increasing over time.
A 跟 B 有/没有关系 says whether two things are connected; 多大 before 关系 softens it to "not much".
"Even ..." highlights an extreme case to stress the point: 连小偷都快找不到工作了；连一瓶水都买不了。
"Even..." — 连 picks out an extreme example and 都 (or 也) stresses it, as in 人们连机器都没有 (people didn't even have machines).
"Besides A, also B" adds something on top of what is already there: 除了普通话以外，再学几句当地的方言。
"Along with / as ..." introduces a change that causes or accompanies another change: 随着生活的改变，咖啡店越开越多。
Introduces a change that accompanies or causes another change.
随着 introduces a changing situation, and the main clause states the change that comes with it: 随着新店越来越多，价格也慢慢便宜了。
A rhetorical question that expresses disbelief: 难道你觉得我射箭不好吗？
A set of connectors for listing points in order: 首先 (first), 其次 (second), 另外 (in addition), 最后 (finally). The text uses them to organize the interview tips.
How to use this page
Every pattern below was pulled out of an HSK 4 reading on this site. The example is the actual sentence it appeared in, and the links under it go to the readings where you can see it in context.
Grammar sticks through reading, not through lists. Skim this page to see what B2-level Chinese asks of you, then go read the HSK 4 texts and come back when a sentence confuses you.