却 què but
but; yet; however
How to remember 却: 去 go + 卩 seal = but. The kid wants to go and get the official seal on his passport, but the office is closed.
Component breakdown
却 = 去 go + 卩 seal
- 去 go
- 土 earth
- 厶 cocoon
- 卩 seal
The kid wants to go and get the official seal on his passport, but the office is closed.
How it came to be
Go away with a kneeling figure beside it: somebody stepping back rather than forward. The sense of yet and even so came from that backward step, the thing turning out the other way.
How it is used
- Adverb 'but / yet / however,' placed before the verb, not at the head of the clause like 但是 - 我叫他，他却不理我 (wǒ jiào tā, tā què bù lǐ wǒ) I called him, yet he ignored me.
- It signals a contrast against expectation.
- Often pairs with a preceding 虽然 (suīrán, although).
Characters built with 却
Words with 却
Example sentences
- 爸爸安慰她，她却不开心。 Bàba ānwèi tā, tā què bù kāixīn.Although her father comforted her, she was still unhappy.