而 ér
“and; as well as; and so”
particleHSK 4 · 2021 list level 4
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
而 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 1184: 而 ér — Level 4; official annotation 4 (连). PDF page 109
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 而
而 is a written-style conjunction that links two clauses or two adjectives, meaning "but, while" when the ideas contrast and "and" when they run parallel. It most often appears in the pattern 不是……而是…… ("not X but Y") or between two descriptive words, as in 便宜而好吃. It is common in writing and formal speech, not in casual conversation.
例句Example sentences
- 他不是学生，而是老师。tā bú shì xué sheng, ér shì lǎo shī.He is not a student, but a teacher.
- 这个房间干净而明亮。zhè ge fáng jiān gān jìng ér míng liàng.This room is clean and bright.
- 我喜欢喝咖啡，而我的姐姐喜欢喝茶。wǒ xǐ huan hē kā fēi, ér wǒ de jiě jie xǐ huan hē chá.I like drinking coffee, while my older sister likes tea.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗我买了书而笔。
✓我买了书和笔。
而 joins clauses or adjectives, not two nouns; use 和 to connect nouns.