# Expressing contrariness with "倒"

<SentenceQuiz>

- 我 帮 他， _倒_ 不 是 因为 喜欢 他，是 因为 他 工作 很 努力 。
  <!-- - <span class="pinyin">Wǒ bāng tā, **_dào_** bù shì yīnwèi xǐhuan tā, shì yīnwèi tā gōngzuò hěn nǔlì.</span> -->
  - I helped him not because I liked him, but because he worked very hard.
- 他 不 是 很 努力 ，成绩 _倒_ 也 不错 。
  <!-- - <span class="pinyin">Tā bù shì hěn nǔlì, chéngjì **_dào_** yě bùcuò.</span> -->
  - He's not very hard-working, but his scores also aren't bad.
- 已经 是 春天 了，_倒_ 又 冷 起来 了。
  <!-- - Yǐjīng shì chūntiān le, _dào_ yòu lěng qǐlái le. -->
  - It's already spring, but it's actually getting colder.
- 不 吃 药 ，病 _倒_ 慢慢 好 了。
  <!-- - Bù chī yào, bìng _dào_ mànman hǎo le. -->
  - Without taking any medicine, I'm actually slowly getting better.
- 英语 不 是 他 的 母语 ，他 说 得 _倒_ 挺 地道 的 。
  <!-- - Yīngyǔ bù shì tā de mǔyǔ, tā shuō de _dào_ tǐng dìdao de. -->
  - English is not his mother language, but he speaks quite native-like.
- 我 _倒_ 是 想 去 旅游 ，**但是** 现在 太 忙 了，没有 时间 。
  <!-- - Wǒ _dào_ shì xiǎng qù lǚyóu, dànshì xiànzài tài máng le, méiyǒu shíjiān. -->
  - I do want to go on a trip, but I am too busy to do so now.
- 这 篇 文章 的 内容 _倒_ 不错 ，**就是** 太 长 了 。
  <!-- - Zhè piān wénzhāng de nèiróng _dào_ bùcuò, **jiùshì** tài cháng le. -->
  - The content of this article is great, but it's just too long.
- 这 件 衣服 的 样式 和 大小 _倒_ 都 合适 ，**可是** 我 不 喜欢 这 个 颜色 。
  <!-- - Zhè jiàn yīfu de yàngshì hé dàxiǎo _dào_ dōu héshì, **kěshì** wǒ bù xǐhuan zhège yánsè. -->
  - The style and size of this piece of clothing actually work well, but I don't like the color.
- 你们 的 服务 _倒_ 不错 ，**但是** 对 我 来说 太 贵 了 。
  <!-- - Nǐmen de fúwù _dào_ bùcuò, **dànshì** duì wǒ lái shuō tài guì le. -->
  - Your service is great, but it's too expensive for me.
- 我 _倒_ 想 陪 你 一起 去 ，**不过** 要 等 到 周末 。
  <!-- - Wǒ _dào_ xiǎng péi nǐ yīqǐ qù, **bùguò** yào děngdào zhōumò. -->
  - I really would like to go with you, but you would need to wait until the weekend.

</SentenceQuiz>

<TOC>

- Level: [B2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B2_grammar_points) / [HSK4](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/HSK4_grammar_points)
- Similar to
  - [Expressing "on the contrary" with "反而"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22on_the_contrary%22_with_%22fan%27er%22) (B2)
  - [The "however" adverb "却"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/The_%22however%22_adverb_%22que%22) (B2)
- Used for: [Contrasting](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Contrasting)
- Keywords: [倒](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%80%92)

</TOC>

倒 (dào) can be used to express something is contrary to expectations, acting as a turning point in the sentence. It is generally followed by a positive comment.

## Using 倒 as "However"

倒 can be used to express an unexpected situation. Note that 倒 is often followed by 也 or 又 to add further emphasis.

### Structure

⋯⋯ ，Subj. + 倒 + (也 / 又) ⋯⋯

### Examples

Sometimes "actually" works well in translations to indicate the contrast between expectation and reality.

- 我 帮 他， _倒_ 不 是 因为 喜欢 他，是 因为 他 工作 很 努力 。
  <!-- - <span class="pinyin">Wǒ bāng tā, **_dào_** bù shì yīnwèi xǐhuan tā, shì yīnwèi tā gōngzuò hěn nǔlì.</span> -->
  - I helped him not because I liked him, but because he worked very hard.
- 他 不 是 很 努力 ，成绩 _倒_ 也 不错 。
  <!-- - <span class="pinyin">Tā bù shì hěn nǔlì, chéngjì **_dào_** yě bùcuò.</span> -->
  - He's not very hard-working, but his scores also aren't bad.
- 已经 是 春天 了，_倒_ 又 冷 起来 了。
  <!-- - Yǐjīng shì chūntiān le, _dào_ yòu lěng qǐlái le. -->
  - It's already spring, but it's actually getting colder.
- 不 吃 药 ，病 _倒_ 慢慢 好 了。
  <!-- - Bù chī yào, bìng _dào_ mànman hǎo le. -->
  - Without taking any medicine, I'm actually slowly getting better.
- 英语 不 是 他 的 母语 ，他 说 得 _倒_ 挺 地道 的 。
  <!-- - Yīngyǔ bù shì tā de mǔyǔ, tā shuō de _dào_ tǐng dìdao de. -->
  - English is not his mother language, but he speaks quite native-like.

## Using 倒 as "Despite"

### Structure

倒 can also be used to express a concession, mostly emphasizing the positive side. 就是、但是、可是、不过 are often used to precede the undesirable reality the speaker is calling attention to.

Subj. + 倒 ⋯⋯ ，不过 / 但是 / 就是 ⋯⋯

### Examples

- 我 _倒_ 是 想 去 旅游 ，**但是** 现在 太 忙 了，没有 时间 。
  <!-- - Wǒ _dào_ shì xiǎng qù lǚyóu, dànshì xiànzài tài máng le, méiyǒu shíjiān. -->
  - I do want to go on a trip, but I am too busy to do so now.
- 这 篇 文章 的 内容 _倒_ 不错 ，**就是** 太 长 了 。
  <!-- - Zhè piān wénzhāng de nèiróng _dào_ bùcuò, **jiùshì** tài cháng le. -->
  - The content of this article is great, but it's just too long.
- 这 件 衣服 的 样式 和 大小 _倒_ 都 合适 ，**可是** 我 不 喜欢 这 个 颜色 。
  <!-- - Zhè jiàn yīfu de yàngshì hé dàxiǎo _dào_ dōu héshì, **kěshì** wǒ bù xǐhuan zhège yánsè. -->
  - The style and size of this piece of clothing actually work well, but I don't like the color.
- 你们 的 服务 _倒_ 不错 ，**但是** 对 我 来说 太 贵 了 。
  <!-- - Nǐmen de fúwù _dào_ bùcuò, **dànshì** duì wǒ lái shuō tài guì le. -->
  - Your service is great, but it's too expensive for me.
- 我 _倒_ 想 陪 你 一起 去 ，**不过** 要 等 到 周末 。
  <!-- - Wǒ _dào_ xiǎng péi nǐ yīqǐ qù, **bùguò** yào děngdào zhōumò. -->
  - I really would like to go with you, but you would need to wait until the weekend.

For more on [倒](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%80%92), be sure to check our C1 grammar point on even more [advanced uses of 倒](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Advanced_usages_of_the_contrary_%22dao%22).

## See also

- Expressing contrariness with "dao"
- [The "However" Adverb "que"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/The_%22However%22_Adverb_%22que%22)
- ["On the Contrary" with "fan'er"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22On_the_Contrary%22_with_%22fan%27er%22)
- [Conceding a Point with "shi"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Conceding_a_Point_with_%22shi%22)