可是 meaning in English

kěshì

but; however; (used for emphasis) indeed

HSK 2conjunction14 strokes

Meaning of 可是

Definitions from CC-CEDICT.

kěshì

but; however
(used for emphasis) indeed

How to use 可是

可是 joins two clauses where the second one contrasts with the first, much like 但是 (dànshì). It sounds a little softer and more conversational, and it often appears with 虽然 (suīrán, although) in the first clause. Example: 我想去，可是没有时间。(Wǒ xiǎng qù, kěshì méiyǒu shíjiān.) I want to go, but I don't have time.

可是 is built from 可 (kě, can, may) and 是 (shì, to be). Picture someone saying "It can be so... but" and you have the turn in meaning that 可是 signals.

Common mistake: Learners often use 可是 to mean "or" because it looks like 还是 (háishi), but 还是 is for choices in questions, not for contrast. Also remember 是 in 可是 keeps its fourth tone: kěshì, not kěshi.

可是 in example sentences

Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.

你nǐ还hái年nián轻qīng，可kě是shì没méi有yǒu永yǒng久jiǔ。

You're still young, but not permanently.

可kě是shì这zhè不bú是shì最zuì后hòu一yī班bān火huǒ车chē，对duì吧ba？

But that's not the last train, right?

你nǐ们men的de计jì划huà很hěn好hǎo，可kě是shì我wǒ的de更gèng好hǎo。

Your plan is very good, but mine is better.

我wǒ想xiǎng解jiě决jué这zhè个ge问wèn题tí，可kě是shì白bái费fèi功gōng夫fu。

I tried in vain to deal with the problem.

我wǒ想xiǎng买mǎi那nà辆liàng车chē，可kě是shì我wǒ却què没méi有yǒu钱qián。

I would buy the car, but I am poor.

Stroke order for each character

Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.

可 kě · can · 5 strokes

是 shì · to be · 9 strokes

Related words

Words that share a character with 可是.

还是	háishi	still (as before); had better
是不是	shì bu shì	is or is not (used to form yes-no questions)
可以	kěyǐ	can; may
可能	kěnéng	might (happen); possible
但是	dànshì	but; however
可爱	kě'ài	adorable; cute
可怕	kěpà	awful; dreadful
正是	zhèngshì	is precisely
老是	lǎoshì	always
就是	jiùshì	exactly; precisely; only; simply; just
只是	zhǐshì	merely; only; just; nothing but; simply
要是	yàoshi	(coll.) if

Questions about 可是

What does 可是 mean?

可是 (kěshì) means "but; however; (used for emphasis) indeed" and is used as a conjunction.

How do you write 可是?

可是 is made of 2 characters: 可 (5 strokes), 是 (9 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.

Is 可是 an HSK word?

Yes. 可是 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.

What is the difference between 可是 and 但是?

Both mean "but" and are usually interchangeable. 但是 feels slightly more formal and firm, while 可是 is common in everyday speech and can carry a tone of mild complaint or surprise.

How is 可是 used for emphasis?

In speech, 可是 can stress that something really is true, close to "indeed" or "really." For example, 这可是好东西 (zhè kěshì hǎo dōngxi) means "This really is a good thing." Here it comes before the predicate instead of starting a contrasting clause.