语法 · HSK 3–4
除了……以外 (chúle…yǐwài): "besides" vs "except"
除了……以外 can mean either "besides / in addition to" or "except for". The adverb in the second clause tells you which: 还 or 也 includes the item ("besides English, he also speaks Chinese"); 都 or 全 excludes it ("everyone except Xiao Wang came"). Either 除了 or 以外 can be used on its own in speech, but the second clause always needs 还/也 or 都.
句型Patterns
除了 + X + (以外)，Subject + 还 / 也 + VerbInclusive ("in addition to X, also…").除了 + X + (以外)，Subject + 都 / 全 + VerbExclusive ("except for X, all…").
例句Examples
- 除了中文以外，他还会说法语。chú le zhōng wén yǐ wài, tā hái huì shuō fǎ yǔ.Besides Chinese, he can also speak French.
- 除了星期天以外，我每天都去上班。chú le xīng qī tiān yǐ wài, wǒ měi tiān dōu qù shàng bān.Except for Sundays, I go to work every day.
- 除了跑步，我也很喜欢游泳。chú le pǎo bù, wǒ yě hěn xǐ huan yóu yǒng.In addition to running, I also like swimming.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗除了咖啡以外，我喜欢喝茶。
✓除了咖啡以外，我还喜欢喝茶。
Add 还 or 也 in the second clause to show "in addition to".
-
✗除了他以外，大家来了。
✓除了他以外，大家都来了。
Add 都 in the second clause to show "everyone except him".
重点词语Words in this guide
Common questions
Can I drop 以外?
Yes, especially in speech: 除了你，大家都知道了 is very common. Never drop 还/也 or 都 in the second clause.