Function Words & Adverbs

Introduction

Function words are the glue that holds Chinese sentences together. This chapter covers essential adverbs, conjunctions, and modal words that appear in complex sentence patterns.

These words don't carry much meaning on their own but are crucial for connecting ideas and expressing nuance in advanced Chinese.

Themes

All HSK 5 Vocabulary in This Chapter (16)

1. 安慰 ān wèi To comfort; to console; consolation. The act of soothing someone's sadness or anxiety, or the feeling of relief that comes from being com...
2. 堆 duī To pile up; pile; heap; measure word for piles of things. Refers to gathering objects into a mound, the mound itself, or counts such grou...
3. 过敏 guò mǐn To be allergic; allergy; allergic. A hypersensitive reaction of the body to certain substances, or having such sensitivity.
4. 挤 jǐ To squeeze; to crowd; crowded. The act of pressing or pushing into a tight space, or the state of being packed tightly.
5. 加以 jiā yǐ To apply; to carry out; to subject to. A formal verb used before another verb to indicate applying an action to something.
6. 肯定 kěn dìng To affirm; affirmative; definite; certainly. To confirm something is true, or expressing certainty about a statement.
7. 凭 píng To rely on; by means of; based on; proof. To depend on something as basis or evidence, or the credential itself.
8. 偷 tōu To steal; stealthily; secretly. The act of taking something without permission, or doing something covertly.
9. 无奈 wú nài Helpless; to have no choice; but unfortunately. A feeling of powerlessness when facing circumstances beyond one's control.
10. 依旧 yī jiù Still; as before; as always. Indicates something remains unchanged despite the passage of time or changes in circumstances.
11. 依照 yī zhào According to; in accordance with. To follow or comply with rules, instructions, or standards.
12. 尊敬 zūn jìng To respect; to esteem; respectful. Deep regard or admiration for someone, especially elders or authority figures.
13. 除非 chú fēi Unless; only if. A conjunction introducing the only condition under which something would happen or be true.
14. 大致 dà zhì Roughly; approximately; in general. Describes something that is broadly or generally correct without being exact.
15. 干脆 gān cuì Straightforward; clear-cut; simply; just. Describes decisiveness in manner, or suggests doing something directly without hesitation.
16. 硬 yìng Hard; tough; stiff; forcefully; stubbornly. Physical hardness or firmness, or doing something by force or insistence.