不过

bù guò

HSK 2.0 Level 4 HSK 3.0 Level 4 Conjunction Very common

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This word has multiple dictionary entries. Choose the reading or usage you want to review.

不过

bù guò Conjunction only; merely

不过

bú guò Adverb merely; only

Definitions

1. only
2. merely
3. no more than
4. but
5. however
6. anyway (to get back to a previous topic)
7. cannot be more (after adjectival)

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Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

而且

ér qiě

(not only ...) but also

Means 'moreover' or 'furthermore', adding information rather than contrasting, opposite of 'but'.

Related words

1 item

只是

zhǐ shì

merely; only; just; nothing but

Means 'only' or 'just', similar to the 'only/merely' sense of 不过.

Synonyms

2 items

但是

dàn shì

but; however

Used as a conjunction meaning 'but' or 'however' to introduce a contrast or exception.

可是

kě shì

but; however

Also a conjunction meaning 'but' or 'however', often used interchangeably with 不过 in informal speech.

Usage notes

Common mistakes

不过 as 'only' precedes the quantity and cannot directly modify a noun; use 只有 for 'only have'.

Grammar

Guides that feature 不过

Jump into a full guide with fill-in-the-blank drills. Clicking will load the page and move you to the top.

2 guides

HSK 2.0 Level 6+ HSK 3.0 Level 7–9+ 6 min

只是...罢了 and 矣: Final Particles for “That’s All” and Classical “Already”

Use 罢了 at the end of a sentence to play something down (“that’s all”), usually with 只是, 不过 or 无非; meet classical 矣 in set phrases like 足矣 and 为时晚矣.

Reading: bù guò Open guide

HSK 2.0 Level 4+ HSK 3.0 Level 4+ 6 min

甚至 for “Even” and 不过 for “However”

Use 甚至 to push a point to its most surprising case, and 不过 to add a soft “but” after a statement.

Reading: bù guò Open guide

Example Sentences

1 shown

这件衣服很好看，不过有点贵。

This clothing is very nice, but it's a bit expensive.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 不过

only

(idiom) nothing more than this; that's all; no big deal; not very impressive

不过意

bù guò yì

to be sorry; to feel apologetic

不过尔尔

bù guò ěr ěr

not more than so-so (idiom); mediocre

事不过三

shì bù guò sān

a thing should not be attempted more than three times (idiom)

to distrust

couldn't be better

to be unable to breathe easily

喘不过气来

chuǎn bu guò qì lái

to be unable to breathe

富不过三代

fù bù guò sān dài

wealth never survives three generations (idiom)

anyhow

to have more work than one can deal with

unable to defeat

can't persuade

can't manage to count

杀人不过头点地

shā rén bù guò tóu diǎn dì

It's all exaggeration, you don't need to take it seriously

气不过

qì bu guò

so angry it's unbearable

看不过

kàn bu guò

cannot stand by idly and watch

看不过去

kàn bu guò qu

cannot stand by idly and watch

瞒不过

mán bù guò

cannot conceal (a matter) from (sb)

砍头不过风吹帽

kǎn tóu bù guò fēng chuī mào

to regard decapitation as no more important than the wind blowing off your hat (idiom)

胳膊拧不过大腿

gē bo nǐng bu guò dà tuǐ

(idiom) the weak cannot overcome the strong

说不过去

shuō bu guò qù

cannot be justified

躲得过初一，躲不过十五

duǒ de guò chū yī , duǒ bù guò shí wǔ

lit. you may go undetected during the new moon, but at full moon you'll be found out (idiom)

躲过初一，躲不过十五

duǒ guò chū yī , duǒ bù guò shí wǔ

see 躲得過初一，躲不過十五|躲得过初一，躲不过十五[duǒ de guò chū yī , duǒ bù guò shí wǔ]

Child Words of 不过

no; not so

to cross

(experienced action marker)

不过