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HSK 5 · Advanced

HSK 5 Grammar 高级语法

71 patterns, each with the reading it came from.
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A + 得 + 像 + B (so A that it is like B)

A degree complement comparing the result to something vivid: 美得像一幅画。

他高兴得像个孩子。 — He was as happy as a child.
Seen in 故宫的故事

A 比 B + adj + 得多

'A is much more ... than B' — adding 得多 after the adjective intensifies the comparison.

收入也比农村高得多。
Seen in 城市化

Adj. + 下来 (to settle into a state)

下来 after certain adjectives or verbs shows a gradual change into a calmer or lower state: 心会慢慢安静下来。

听了他的话，大家都安静了下来。 — After hearing his words, everyone quieted down.
Seen in 写字的艺术

V + 得起 (can afford to)

A potential complement showing one has the money or ability for the action: 普通人也读得起书了。

现在大家都买得起手机了。 — Now everyone can afford to buy a mobile phone.
Seen in 四大发明

V不住 / V不上 — potential complements of failure

Inserting 不 between verb and complement says the action cannot succeed: 记不住 (cannot memorize), 跟不上 (cannot keep up).

老师说得太快，我跟不上。 — The teacher speaks too fast; I cannot keep up.
Seen in 妈妈的手机课

……指的是……

'... refers to ...' — used to define a term or expression.

“代沟”指的是两代人之间在想法和生活方式上的差别。
Seen in 代沟

…之所以…，是因为… — 'the reason X is the case is because Y'

States a result first and then gives its cause: 'the reason why A is because B'. It sounds slightly formal and is common in written explanations, e.g. 他之所以迟到，是因为堵车.

这种设定之所以引发广泛讨论，是因为它把国际关系、博弈论与人性的幽暗面编织进了一个引人入胜的故事。 — This premise sparked such widespread discussion because it weaves international relations, game theory, and the dark side of human nature into a captivating story.
Seen in 教育竞争新能源汽车非物质文化遗产翻译的艺术 +4

…的同时 — while (doing something); at the same time as

…的同时 marks that two actions or states happen concurrently, often introducing a contrasting point.

我们享受科技带来的方便的同时，也应该问问自己。 — While we enjoy the convenience technology brings, we should also ask ourselves.
Seen in 隐私与便利

一 + V + 就是 + duration (once you start, it lasts…)

Emphasizes how long an action continues once begun: 一走就是几个月。

他一工作就是十个小时。 — Once he starts working, it's ten hours straight.
Seen in 丝绸之路

一方面……另一方面……

'On the one hand... on the other hand' — presents two contrasting sides of an issue, very common in argumentative writing.

一方面，电动汽车不污染空气，对环保有很大的好处，另一方面，它的使用成本也比传统汽车低。 — On the one hand, electric cars do not pollute the air, which greatly benefits the environment; on the other hand, they also cost less to run than traditional cars.
Seen in 新能源汽车城市化

一旦…就… (once…, then…)

Expresses 'once X happens, then Y follows' — a conditional trigger with a resulting, often serious, consequence. E.g. 一旦下定决心，就不要轻易放弃 (once you've made up your mind, don't give up easily).

一旦你尝试把母语里最喜欢的一句诗译成汉语，就会立刻体会到译者的甘苦。 — The moment you try translating your favorite line of poetry into Chinese, you will immediately taste the translator's joys and hardships.
Seen in 家乡的变化非物质文化遗产翻译的艺术深度工作 +3

一旦…，…也会…

'Once..., ... will also...' sets up a hypothetical trigger and its consequence.

一旦方言消失，与它相关的地方文化也会随之消失。 — Once a dialect disappears, the local culture associated with it will also disappear along with it.
Seen in 方言与身份认同

万一

'What if / in case' — introduces an unlikely but worrying possibility: 万一以后用得着呢？

多带一把伞吧，万一下雨呢？— Take an extra umbrella — what if it rains?
Seen in 极简生活

不…不行 — must; cannot not

A double negative used for obligation: 你不回不行 means you have no choice but to reply.

明天的会议我不去不行。 — I really have to go to tomorrow's meeting.
Seen in 微信改变生活

不仅……，也…… — not only …, but also …

Adds a second, often more surprising, consequence to the first. In written style 也 may be replaced by 还 or 甚至 for a stronger climb.

不仅中国人对中医重新产生兴趣，许多外国人也开始学习针灸。 — Not only have Chinese people rediscovered interest in Chinese medicine, many foreigners have also started learning acupuncture.
Seen in 中医的现代处境生物多样性

不仅…还… (not only… but also…)

'Not only A, but also B' — stacks a second, often weightier consequence on top of the first; the written cousin of 不但…而且…. 例：熬夜不仅伤身体，还影响第二天的效率。

锋芒毕露不仅显得缺乏修养，还容易招来嫉妒。 — Flaunting your brilliance not only looks uncultivated but also easily attracts jealousy.
Seen in 传统手艺的消失谦虚的文化根源

不仅…还有… (not only… but also…)

Extends a statement beyond the first item: 交流的不仅是商品，还有思想、音乐和技术。

这个城市不仅有现代建筑，还有很多古老的街道。 — This city has not only modern buildings, but also many old streets.
Seen in 丝绸之路

不仅…，更… — 'not only X, but even more so Y'

A climactic pair: 'not only A, but even more, B'. 更 upgrades the second clause above the first, stronger than plain 而且. 例：他不仅是老师，更是朋友。

《三体》的成功，不仅是一部作品的胜利，更标志着中国科幻真正走入了世界文学的对话。 — The success of The Three-Body Problem is not just the triumph of a single work, but a sign that Chinese science fiction has truly entered the conversation of world literature.
Seen in 方言与身份认同春运语言与思维《三体》现象

不但没有…反而… (not only did not…, on the contrary…)

States that something not only failed to happen, but the opposite happened: 学书法的人不但没有减少，反而越来越多。

吃了药，他的病不但没有好，反而更重了。 — After taking the medicine, his illness not only did not improve; on the contrary, it got worse.
Seen in 写字的艺术

不只是……而是……

'Not just... but rather...' — corrects an assumption with the real point.

拍的其实不只是菜，而是做菜的人和他们的生活。
Seen in 美食纪录片

不只是……还有……

'Not only... but also...' — expands beyond an assumed limit.

川菜不只是辣，还有二十多种味道。
Seen in 川菜的哲学

不得不… — to have no choice but to…

Means 'to have no choice but to do something' — the action is forced by circumstances, e.g. 天太晚了，我不得不回家.

每次长途旅行，都不得不提前计划好充电的地方。 — Before every long trip, he has no choice but to plan out the charging stops in advance.
Seen in 新能源汽车第一次创业

不等于…而是… (does not mean…, but rather…)

Rejects one interpretation and gives the correct one: 保护遗产不等于把它们放进博物馆，而是让它们继续活在人们的生活中。

安静不等于同意，而是他还在考虑。 — Staying silent does not mean agreement; rather, he is still thinking it over.
Seen in 非物质文化遗产

与其…不如… — rather than A, better to B

Expresses 'rather than X, it would be better to Y' — used to state a preference between two options. E.g. 与其抱怨环境，不如努力改变自己 (rather than complain about circumstances, it's better to try to change yourself).

与其纠结于人类究竟会走向繁荣还是衰亡，不如把精力放在如何为技术设置约束上。 — Rather than agonizing over whether humanity will head toward prosperity or decline, it is better to focus on how to constrain technology.
Seen in 教育竞争家乡的变化信息茧房内卷与躺平 +13

与此同时 (at the same time)

'At the same time; meanwhile' — a formal connector that adds a second, parallel statement to the previous sentence.

经济在增长，与此同时，环境问题也日益严重。— The economy is growing; at the same time, environmental problems grow more serious by the day.
Seen in 丝绸之路匠人精神

从来 + negative

'Never (once)' — emphasizes that something has not happened at all, from past to present.

她已经做了四十多年，从来没有停过。
Seen in 美食纪录片

从那以后

'From then on' — marks the starting point of a continuing habit or change.

从那以后，老张每隔几个月就去献一次血。
Seen in 无偿献血

以…为例 — 'taking X as an example'

A formal way to introduce an illustration: 'taking … as an example'. Common in expository writing before a concrete case. 例：以北京为例，房价十年翻了一倍。

以某国产运动品牌为例，它把敦煌壁画的色彩与现代运动鞋的剪裁结合起来。 — Take a domestic sportswear brand as an example: it combines the colors of Dunhuang murals with the cut of modern sneakers.
Seen in 共享经济的退潮翻译的艺术国潮兴起

以为… — to (mistakenly) think/assume that…

以为 introduces an assumption that later turns out to be wrong, unlike 觉得 which carries no such implication.

我特别激动，以为很快就能挣到钱。 — I was very excited, thinking I would soon make money (but it didn't turn out that way).
Seen in 第一次创业生物多样性

像…一样 + adj. (as… as…)

Compares the subject to something vivid, with the adjective after 一样: 有的像大山一样安静，有的像流水一样自由。

她的声音像音乐一样好听。 — Her voice is as pleasant as music.
Seen in 写字的艺术

先后 (in succession; one after another)

An adverb showing that events happened one after another over time: 先后有二十四位皇帝在这里生活。

他先后去过五个国家工作。 — He has worked in five countries, one after another.
Seen in 故宫的故事

关键在于……

'the key lies in...' — a formal way to introduce the decisive factor in an argument.

要减少代沟,关键在于交流。
Seen in 代沟集体与个人

再…也… — no matter how [adjective], still…

Means 'no matter how (adjective), still...' — even the highest degree of something does not change the outcome, e.g. 再贵我也要买.

再能干的人，也很难同时照顾好老人和孩子。 — No matter how capable a person is, it is still hard to look after the elderly and the children at the same time.
Seen in 网络暴力独生子女一代副业刚需

几乎没有人不… (there is almost no one who does not…)

A double negative that strongly means "almost everyone does": 几乎没有人不知道李白的名字。

几乎没有人不喜欢假期。 — There is almost no one who does not like holidays.
Seen in 李白与月亮

凡是…都/大多… (every; whatever…)

凡是 sweeps in a whole category without exception: 凡是船队到过的地方，大多留下了友好的记忆。

凡是来过这里的人，都很喜欢这个地方。 — Everyone who has been here likes this place.
Seen in 郑和下西洋

凡是…都… (every…, all without exception)

凡是 marks a whole category, and 都 confirms that the statement covers every member: 凡是去远方的船，都离不开它。

凡是来过这里的人，都想再来一次。— Everyone who has been here wants to come again.
Seen in 四大发明一碗兰州拉面

凡是…，就/都…

Means 'whatever / whoever / wherever...' — states a rule that applies to every case in a category, e.g. 凡是他说的话，大家都相信.

凡是好学校集中的地方，房价就一定特别高。 — Wherever good schools are concentrated, housing prices are invariably especially high.
Seen in 学区房

到底 (after all; in the end)

In a question, 到底 presses for the real answer: 到底是我们在用它，还是它在用我们？

你到底想说什么？— What exactly are you trying to say?
Seen in 短视频时代

只是…而已

Means 'merely..., that's all' — plays something down as nothing more than what is stated, e.g. 我只是开个玩笑而已.

跨国婚姻只是把文化差异放大了而已。 — A cross-national marriage merely magnifies the cultural differences, that's all.
Seen in 跨国婚姻

哪怕…也… (even if…, still…)

'Even if A (seems minor), B still holds' — used to emphasize that even a small cause has a real, disproportionate effect. 例：哪怕只有一分钟，也值得认真对待。

哪怕是点燃一支蜡烛这样微小的动作，也能显著提升人们对接下来这顿饭的满足感。 — Even a tiny action like lighting a single candle can significantly boost people's satisfaction with the meal that follows.
Seen in 碳中和短视频时代仪式感的意义

善于 (to be good at)

A more formal way to say someone does something skillfully, usually followed by a verb phrase: 诗人们善于用最简单的字，表达最深的感情。

她善于跟不同的人交流。 — She is good at communicating with different kinds of people.
Seen in 唐诗之美

在…看来 — in someone's view

在 + person + 看来 marks a personal judgment, usually at the start of the sentence: 在我看来，工具本身没有错。

在他看来，这个决定并不合理。 — In his view, this decision is not reasonable.
Seen in 微信改变生活

在我看来

'In my view / as I see it' — introduces the speaker's personal opinion, usually at the start of a concluding sentence.

在我看来,城市和农村都需要发展。
Seen in 城市化

对……的影响

'Influence/effect on...' — describes how one thing affects another.

对快乐的影响就变得很小。
Seen in 金钱与快乐

属于… — to belong to

属于 classifies something as part of a larger category or group.

这些都属于“睡眠经济”。 — All of these belong to the "sleep economy."
Seen in 睡眠经济

并不 / 并没有 — emphatic negation

并 before a negative rejects an expectation the listener may hold: 其实并不是为了成绩。

这件事并不像你想的那么简单。 — This matter is really not as simple as you think.
Seen in 马拉松热

并不… — not really… (contrary to expectation)

并 strengthens 不, rejecting an assumption the listener might hold.

第一次创业失败并不可怕。 — Failing at your first startup isn't really scary.
Seen in 第一次创业

并没有…，反而…

'Did not..., but on the contrary...' — negates an expected outcome and states the opposite reality.

古老的智慧并没有失去价值，反而以新的方式延续下去。 — Ancient wisdom has not lost its value; on the contrary, it continues on in new forms.
Seen in 二十四节气

往往

'Often / tend to' — states a general tendency based on experience, not a single event: 从旧工作到新工作的路往往要走很多年。

好机会往往留给有准备的人。— Good opportunities often go to those who are prepared.
Seen in 人工智能与工作

恐怕

Means 'I'm afraid that...' — expresses a worried estimate about something probably negative, e.g. 现在出发，恐怕已经来不及了.

要彻底解决这个问题，恐怕还需要很长时间。 — To solve this problem completely will, I'm afraid, still take a very long time.
Seen in 学区房

恰恰 — precisely; it is exactly…

恰恰 stresses that the truth is exactly the surprising one: 恰恰是自己选的。

他担心的恰恰是我担心的。 — What he worries about is exactly what I worry about.
Seen in 信息茧房

意味着

'To mean / to imply' — states the consequence of a fact: 这意味着能源、交通、工业都要发生巨大的变化。

选择这份工作，意味着你要经常出差。— Choosing this job means you will travel often.
Seen in 碳中和

所谓的……

'The so-called...' — introduces a term that you are about to define or explain.

这就是所谓的“文化冲击”。
Seen in 文化冲击

把 + object + 写在… — the 把 construction

把 moves the object before the verb to show what is done to it and where it ends up: 她把每一步都写在了本子上。

请把这些照片放在桌子上。 — Please put these photos on the table.
Seen in 妈妈的手机课

换句话说

'In other words' — restates a point more simply or clearly.

换句话说，钱能让人不再为房租、看病、吃饭发愁。
Seen in 金钱与快乐

据说… (it is said that…)

Reports information from hearsay or tradition, without naming the source: 据说长一百多米。

据说这座桥有一千年的历史了。 — It is said that this bridge is a thousand years old.
Seen in 郑和下西洋

既不……又不……

'Neither... nor...' — links two negative situations that are true at the same time.

有些人毕业以后既不了解国内的情况,又不能完全进入国外的社会。
Seen in 留学的得与失

未必 — not necessarily

'Not necessarily' — a softer, more literary way to negate certainty than 不一定. 例：物质条件好了，幸福感却未必增长。

价格贵的东西未必好用。 — Expensive things are not necessarily easy to use.
Seen in 信息茧房马拉松热知足常乐塞翁失马新解

根据……来决定

'Decide according to...' — base a decision on a certain standard or situation.

应该根据自己的情况来决定。
Seen in 留学的得与失

根本

'At all; simply' — strengthens a negation, often with 没有.

这道菜里根本没有鱼。
Seen in 川菜的哲学

每当…，(就/还是)… (whenever…, …)

每当 introduces a repeated situation, and the second half gives what always happens then: 每当人们抬头看见月亮，还是会想起这位诗人。

每当下雨，我就想在家看书。 — Whenever it rains, I feel like reading at home.
Seen in 李白与月亮

毕竟

Means 'after all' — reminds the listener of an essential fact that supports the speaker's point, e.g. 别怪他了，他毕竟还是个孩子.

毕竟，人生是一场长跑，而不是一场短跑。 — After all, life is a marathon, not a sprint.
Seen in 教育竞争

由…组成 (to be made up of…)

由 introduces the parts, and 组成 states that they form the whole: 四大发明是由造纸术、印刷术、火药和指南针组成的。

这个班由二十个学生组成。 — This class is made up of twenty students.
Seen in 四大发明

由于…，…不得不…

'Because of..., ... has no choice but to...' introduces a cause and its forced consequence.

由于车票紧张，许多人不得不半夜守在电脑前抢票。 — Because train tickets are scarce, many people have no choice but to sit up at their computers at night to grab tickets.
Seen in 春运

由此可见

'This shows that...' draws a conclusion from what was just described.

由此可见，一个共享经济项目能否长期存在，关键在于它是否解决了用户的实际问题。 — This shows that whether a sharing-economy project survives long term hinges on whether it solves a real problem for users.
Seen in 共享经济的退潮

被 + doer + V + 成 (to be made into… by…)

A passive sentence in which 成 states the result of the action: 曹操就常常被画成白脸。

这本小说被拍成了电影。 — This novel was made into a film.
Seen in 京剧脸谱

被称为… (to be called / known as…)

A passive pattern for naming: 其中最大的船被称为“宝船”。

苏州被称为“东方的威尼斯”。 — Suzhou is known as the "Venice of the East."
Seen in 郑和下西洋

要想……,就……

'If you want to..., then...' — states a goal and the way to achieve it.

要想快点儿适应,最好的办法就是主动交朋友。
Seen in 文化冲击

除了…以外，还… — besides X, there is also Y

This pattern introduces an additional item beyond what has already been mentioned.

除了褪黑素和白噪音机器以外，还有智能手环。 — Besides melatonin and white-noise machines, there are also smart wristbands.
Seen in 睡眠经济

除了…，还…

'Besides..., also...' adds an extra point beyond what was already mentioned.

除了指导农业，节气还深深地影响着中国人的日常生活。 — Besides guiding agriculture, solar terms also deeply influence Chinese people's daily life.
Seen in 二十四节气

首先……其次……另外……

'First... second... in addition...' — organizes the points of an argument in order.

首先,留学的费用很高。
Seen in 留学的得与失

How to use this page

Every pattern below was pulled out of an HSK 5 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 C1-level Chinese asks of you, then go read the HSK 5 texts and come back when a sentence confuses you.