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.
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。
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.
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.
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.
……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。
…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.
…，却… (yet; however)
却 marks an unexpected contrast inside a sentence: 一门手艺往往需要十几年的练习，收入却不高。
他学了很多年，却没有放弃。 — He studied for many years, yet he never gave up.
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.
一…就… (as soon as…, then…)
The second action follows the first immediately: 老观众一看脸谱，就知道谁是好人。
他一回家就打开电视。 — As soon as he gets home, he turns on the TV.
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,城市能提供更多的工作机会和更好的教育条件。
一方面…，另一方面…
Presents two sides or aspects of the same topic, like 'on the one hand... on the other hand...', e.g. 学汉语一方面有趣，另一方面也很难.
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.
一旦…就… (once…, then…)
一旦 marks a condition that, once it happens, brings an irreversible result: 有些东西一旦失去，就再也找不回来了。
一旦决定了，就不要后悔。— Once you have decided, don't regret it.
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.
一边…一边…
Doing two actions at the same time: 一边使用工具，一边继续学习。
他一边工作，一边准备考试。— He works while preparing for the exam.
一边…一边… — to do two things at the same time
一边…一边… describes two simultaneous actions performed by the same subject.
我一边戴着手环，一边还在刷手机。 — I was wearing the wristband while still scrolling on my phone.
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?
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.
不仅…还… (not only… but also…)
Adds a second, often more important layer: 传统手艺不仅是一种技术，还是一代又一代人生活的记忆。
他不仅会说汉语，还会写漂亮的汉字。 — He not only speaks Chinese, but also writes beautiful characters.
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.
不仅…，也…
'Not only..., but also...' links two related facts to show a broader trend.
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.
不仅…，更…
'Not only..., but even more...' — the second clause outweighs the first in importance.
方言不仅是一种交流工具，更是一种身份的象征。 — Dialect is not only a tool for communication, but even more a symbol of identity.
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.
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。
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。
不得不
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.
不得不… — to have no choice but to…
不得不 expresses that the subject is forced into an action despite reluctance.
生意越来越差，我不得不把它关掉了。 — Business kept getting worse, and I had no choice but to close it.
不是…而是…
'Not A, but B' — corrects an assumption: 这不是懒，而是一种清醒。
他不去不是因为忙，而是因为不想去。— He isn't going not because he's busy, but because he doesn't want to.
不是…而是… (not A, but rather B)
Corrects a wrong assumption by replacing A with B: 我怀念的不是办公室，而是人和人之间的温度。
他不是不想去，而是没有时间。— It's not that he doesn't want to go; he simply has no time.
不是…而是… — it's not X, but rather Y
This pattern corrects a mistaken cause or reason and replaces it with the real one.
不是我们的感情变淡了，而是我们的生活已经走向了不同的方向。 — It's not that our feelings faded, but that our lives headed in different directions.
不是…而是… — not A, but rather B
This pair corrects a wrong idea and supplies the right one: 不是多一份收入，而是让你还有另一条路。
问题不是钱，而是时间。 — The problem is not money, but time.
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.
不管…都… (no matter…, …)
不管 introduces a condition that makes no difference, and 都 gives the unchanged result: 不管你懂不懂中文，都能从这些颜色里读出精彩的故事。
不管天气怎么样，他都去跑步。 — No matter what the weather is like, he goes running.
与其…不如…
'Rather than A, better B' — compares two options and prefers the second: 与其在大城市继续竞争，不如回老家。
与其在家等消息，不如自己去问清楚。— Rather than waiting at home for news, it's better to go ask and find out yourself.
与其…不如… (rather than A, better B)
Compares two options and prefers the second: 与其在大城市给别人打工，不如回家做自己的事业。
与其在家等着，不如出去找找他。— Rather than waiting at home, it's better to go out and look for him.
与其…不如… — rather than A, better B
与其 names the option the speaker rejects; 不如 names the better choice: 与其急着赚钱，不如先想清楚。
与其等他来，不如我们先开始。 — Rather than waiting for him, we may as well start first.
与其…不如… — rather than A, better to B
与其 introduces a rejected option and 不如 gives the better one: 与其怪软件，不如问问自己。
与其在家抱怨，不如出去走走。 — Rather than complaining at home, you may as well go out for a walk.
与其…，不如…
Compares two options and prefers the second: 'rather than A, it is better to B', e.g. 与其在家等着，不如出去找他.
与其让孩子学得那么痛苦，不如让他们保持对学习的兴趣。 — Rather than making children study in such misery, it is better to help them keep their interest in learning.
与此同时 (at the same time)
A formal connector adding a simultaneous event: 与此同时，葡萄、西方的好马等也传入了中国。
他在学习汉语，与此同时，他也在教英语。 — He is studying Chinese; at the same time, he is also teaching English.
之所以…是因为… (the reason why… is that…)
States a result first, then its cause: 之所以要保护这些文化，是因为它们一旦消失，就永远无法恢复。
他之所以成功，是因为他从来不放弃。 — The reason he succeeded is that he never gives up.
之所以…，是因为…
Puts the result first and the cause second: 'the reason why A is that B'. It highlights the explanation, e.g. 我之所以学汉语，是因为想去中国工作.
家长们之所以这么焦虑，是因为他们相信教育是改变命运的唯一机会。 — The reason parents are so anxious is that they believe education is the only chance to change one's fate.
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。
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。
以…为例
'Take... as an example' introduces a specific case to illustrate a general point.
以共享单车为例，由于维护成本过高，不少公司最终破产。 — Take shared bikes as an example: because maintenance costs were too high, quite a few companies eventually went bankrupt.
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).
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.
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.
关键在于……
'The key lies in...' — points out the decisive factor for solving a problem.
要减少代沟,关键在于交流。
再…也…
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.
再…也… — no matter how [adjective], still…
再 sets up an extreme degree, and 也 shows that the conclusion holds regardless of that degree.
网上骂人的声音再大，也不代表大多数人的真实想法。 — No matter how loud the online insults are, they still don't represent the true thoughts of most people.
再…也… — no matter how…, still…
再 + adjective + 也 concedes an extreme degree and keeps the conclusion: 一份工作再稳定，也可能消失。
路再远，我也要去看看。 — No matter how far the road is, I still want to go and see.
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.
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.
凡是…都… (every… without exception)
凡是 introduces a whole category, and 都 confirms the rule applies to all of it: 凡是好吃的面，后面都是几十年的耐心。
凡是来过这里的人，都想再来一次。— Everyone who has been here wants to come again.
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，都喜欢这个城市。 — Everyone who has been here loves this city.
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.
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?
却 — yet; however
却 marks a turn of contrast within a sentence and is placed after the subject, not at the start of the clause.
以前我们几乎无话不谈，现在却好像找不到共同的话题了。 — We used to be able to talk about anything, yet now we seem unable to find common topics.
原来 (it turns out)
原来 introduces a sudden realization of something that was true all along: 原来我怀念的不是办公室，而是人和人之间的温度。
原来他早就知道这件事了。— It turns out he had known about this all along.
又…又…
Links two qualities that are true at the same time: 'both A and B', e.g. 这个孩子又聪明又可爱.
这种房子本身可能又小又旧，价格却贵得让人吃惊。 — The house itself may be both small and old, yet the price is shockingly high.
又…又… — both X and Y
又…又… links two qualities or feelings that are true of the subject at the same time.
这让我又高兴又害怕。 — This makes me both happy and afraid.
反而 (on the contrary)
反而 marks a result opposite to what one would expect: 得到的越多，我们反而越焦虑。
吃了药，他的病反而更重了。— After taking the medicine, his illness got worse instead.
反而 — on the contrary; instead
反而 signals that the actual result is the opposite of what one would expect.
很多人说话时反而更容易失去分寸。 — Many people actually find it easier to lose restraint when speaking (the opposite of what you'd expect).
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.
只有…才… (only if / only… can…)
只有 states the one necessary condition, and 才 marks its result: 黄色是只有皇帝才能使用的颜色。
只有努力练习，才能学好汉语。 — Only by practicing hard can you learn Chinese well.
只要…就… — as long as…, then…
只要 introduces a sufficient condition; satisfying it guarantees the result marked by 就.
只要打开一次，它就好像知道了我全部的秘密。 — As soon as you open it once, it seems to know all my secrets.
只要…，就…
States a sufficient condition: 'as long as A happens, B will follow', e.g. 只要你努力，就一定能学好汉语.
只要双方愿意站在对方的角度考虑问题，幸福就不是一件难事。 — As long as both partners are willing to see things from each other's perspective, happiness is not a difficult thing.
哪怕…也…
'Even if… still…' — concedes an extreme or minimal case: 哪怕只是关掉灯，也算参与了。
哪怕只有一个学生来，我也会上课。— Even if only one student comes, I will still teach the class.
哪怕…也… (even if…, still…)
哪怕 concedes an extreme or imperfect situation, and 也 states that the conclusion still holds: 哪怕只能做到一半，也比刷到半夜好。
哪怕明天下大雨，我也要去。— Even if it pours tomorrow, I will still go.
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.
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.
在于 (to lie in; to consist in)
Points out where the essence or key of something is found: 唐诗的美，首先在于它的声音。
学好外语的关键在于每天练习。 — The key to mastering a foreign language lies in daily practice.
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。
对……的影响
'Influence/effect on...' — describes how one thing affects another.
对快乐的影响就变得很小。
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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”。
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.
把 A 当成 B — to treat A as B
把 + object + 当成 + role says what something is taken to be: 城市把比赛当成广告。
他把这里当成了自己的家。 — He has come to treat this place as his own home.
把…当成… (to treat A as B)
A 把-sentence in which 当成 states what the object is regarded as: 把月亮当成自己的朋友。
她把老师当成自己的妈妈。 — She treats her teacher as her own mother.
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。
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.
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。
未必 — not necessarily
未必 softly denies an assumption, weaker than 不 or 没有: 我们未必是被别人关起来的。
价格贵的东西未必好用。 — Expensive things are not necessarily easy to use.
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。
根本
'At all; simply' — strengthens a negation, often with 没有.
这道菜里根本没有鱼。
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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。
越来越… — more and more
越来越 combines with an adjective or verb to show a trend that keeps intensifying over time.
骂她的人越来越多。 — The number of people insulting her kept growing.
越来越……
'More and more...' — describes a gradually increasing trend.
像小雨这样的人越来越多。
连…也… (even…)
连 highlights an extreme example, and 也 (or 都) completes it: 连卖酒的人也写。
他忙得连饭也忘了吃。 — He was so busy that he even forgot to eat.
连…都…
'Even…' — highlights an extreme case: 很多衣服连标签都没剪；连选衣服的时间都变短了。
他忙得连水都没时间喝。— He was so busy he didn't even have time to drink water.
连…都… — even…
连 marks an extreme case and 都 (or 也) follows: 以前连短信都不会发。
他忙得连饭都没吃。 — He was so busy that he did not even eat.
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.
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.
随着
Means 'along with, as' — introduces a background change that another change follows, e.g. 随着天气变冷，街上的人少了.
随着全球化的发展，跨国婚姻在中国变得越来越常见。 — With the advance of globalization, cross-national marriages have become more and more common in China.
随着… (along with…)
随着 introduces an ongoing change that causes another change: 随着时代的发展，很多传统手艺正在慢慢消失。
随着经济的发展，人们的生活水平提高了。 — Along with economic development, people's living standards have risen.
随着…,… — along with…
A formal connector linking a trend to its background: 随着网络的发展,网购越来越普遍. Common in written Chinese and news.
随着时间的变化,他的想法也变了。 — As time passed, his thinking changed too.
随着…，…
'As / along with...' introduces a change happening in parallel with another development.
随着西医在中国的普及，中医的地位经历了从被质疑到重新被重视的过程。 — As Western medicine spread in China, the status of Chinese medicine went through a process of being doubted and then re-valued.
靠 (to rely on)
靠 + noun expresses the means by which something is achieved: 他靠一双手把两个孩子养大了。
很多学生靠奖学金完成了大学学习。— Many students finished university by relying on scholarships.
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。