不过
búguò
however
Part of speech · conjunction
Pattern visualization
no decomposition available
Examples
- 我想去，不过没时间。I want to go, however no time.
- 不过这次例外。However this time is an exception.
Collocations
不过…只不过不过是
Mnemonic
不过 búguò "however, but" — softer than 但是 dànshì or 可是 kěshì. Literal "not exceeding" → "however / only that". Also serves as "merely": 我不过是开玩笑 "I was only joking".
Quick check
Sense of 不过 in "我不过是开玩笑"?