Chinese–EnglishWith examples

可是

kě shì · ke shi

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 2Old HSK 4

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. but; however
  2. (used for emphasis) indeed
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In a conversation

0:19 cartoon

Tea that is too hot

  1. Liangliang

    这个(zhège)茶(chá)很(hěn)香(xiāng)。

    This tea smells great.

  2. Dengdeng

    可是(kěshì)太(tài)烫了(tàngle)，我(wǒ)喝不了(hēbuliǎo)。

    But it is too hot. I cannot drink it.

  3. Liangliang

    可是(kěshì)你(nǐ)刚才(gāngcái)说(shuō)想(xiǎng)喝(hē)热(rè)的(de)。

    But you just said you wanted something hot.

  4. Dengdeng

    对(duì)，可是(kěshì)我(wǒ)不要(bùyào)这么(zhème)烫(tàng)的(de)。

    Yes, but I do not want it this hot.

  5. Liangliang

    那(nà)等(děng)五(wǔ)分钟(fēnzhōng)再(zài)喝(hē)吧(ba)。

    Then wait five minutes before you drink it.

  6. Dengdeng

    好(hǎo)。可是(kěshì)你(nǐ)怎么(zěnme)在(zài)喝(hē)我(wǒ)的(de)茶(chá)？

    OK. But why are you drinking my tea?

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

可(kě)是(shì)你(nǐ)的(de)函(hán)数(shù)不(bù)符(fú)合(hé)利(lì)普(pǔ)希(xī)茨(cí)条(tiáo)件(jiàn)！

But your function isn't Lipschitz continuous!

Tatoeba: Chinese by GlossaMatik · English by FeuDRenais · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

汤(tāng)姆(mǔ)常(cháng)常(cháng)说(shuō)他(tā)不(bú)会(huì)晚(wǎn)到(dào)，可(kě)是(shì)他(tā)一(yì)直(zhí)会(huì)。

Tom often says he won't be late, but he always is.

Tatoeba: Chinese by Yetiowin · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
可
kě

(prefix) can; may; able to; -able; to approve; to permit

是
shì

to be (followed by substantives only); correct; right; true

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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