Meaning
and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state)
Chinese: 连接词，表示并列、转折或承接。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “er” becomes a different word in each tone. 而 is the 2nd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 而且ér qiě(not only ...) but also; moreover; in addition; furthermore
- 而是ér shìrather
- 然而rán érhowever; but; yet
- 反而fǎn éron the contrary; instead
- 从而cóng érthus; thereby
Example Sentence
这道题简单而有趣。Zhè dào tí jiǎn dān ér yǒu qù.This problem is simple yet interesting.
这Zhèthis道dàoroad题títopic简单jiǎn dānsimple而érand有趣yǒu qùinteresting。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
A pictograph of a beard hanging below the chin. It was borrowed for its sound to write the connective ‘and / but / yet’, and that grammatical use took over.
A way to remember it
Strands hanging down like a beard — now just a linking word.