HSK 6 grammar · new HSK syllabus
X归X，Y归Y; 算了; 到…为止: spoken fixed patterns
朋友归朋友，钱归钱 = friends are friends, money is money; 算了 = forget it; 到今天为止 = up to today.
Structure
- X 归 X，Y 归 Y
- 算了 / 得了
- 到 + time / point + 为止
How it works
X归X，Y归Y separates two things that shouldn’t be mixed: 工作归工作，生活归生活.
算了 means “forget it, never mind”: 太麻烦了，算了吧. 得了 is similar and a little impatient.
到…为止 means “up to, until”: 到目前为止 so far, 今天就讲到这儿为止.
Examples
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朋友归朋友，借的钱还是要还的。
Friends are friends, but borrowed money still has to be repaid.
-
工作归工作，周末我不想谈工作。
Work is work; I don’t want to talk about it at the weekend.
-
太晚了，算了，明天再说吧。
It’s too late. Never mind, let’s talk tomorrow.
-
到目前为止，一切都很顺利。
So far, everything has gone smoothly.
-
今天的课就到这儿为止。
That’s all for today’s lesson.
Words in these examples (33)
| 朋友 | péngyou | friend | HSK 1 |
| 归 | guī | to return; to go back to; to give back to | HSK 6 |
| 借 | jiè | to borrow; to lend | HSK 3 |
| 的 | de | (particle linking a describer to a noun, like "'s") | HSK 1 |
| 钱 | qián | money | HSK 1 |
| 还是 | háishi | or (in questions); still; had better | HSK 2 |
| 要 | yào | to want; will; should | HSK 1 |
| 还 | hái | still; also | HSK 1 |
| 工作 | gōngzuò | to work; job; work | HSK 1 |
| 周末 | zhōumò | weekend | HSK 3 |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | HSK 1 |
| 不 | bù | not; no | HSK 1 |
| 想 | xiǎng | to want to; to think; to miss | HSK 1 |
| 谈 | tán | to talk; to discuss | HSK 4 |
| 太 | tài | too; extremely | HSK 1 |
| 晚 | wǎn | late; evening | HSK 1 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 算了 | suànle | let it be; let it pass; forget about it | HSK 6 |
| 明天 | míngtiān | tomorrow | HSK 1 |
| 再 | zài | again | HSK 1 |
| 说 | shuō | to say; to speak | HSK 1 |
| 吧 | ba | (particle for suggestions: "let's…", "…, OK?") | HSK 1 |
| 到 | dào | to arrive; to go to | HSK 1 |
| 目前 | mùqián | at present; currently | HSK 4 |
| 为止 | wéizhǐ | until; (used in combination with words like 到 or 至 in constructs of the form 到...为止) | HSK 6 |
| 一切 | yíqiè | everything | HSK 4 |
| 都 | dōu | all; both | HSK 1 |
| 很 | hěn | very | HSK 1 |
| 顺利 | shùnlì | smooth; successful | HSK 4 |
| 今天 | jīntiān | today | HSK 1 |
| 课 | kè | class; lesson | HSK 1 |
| 就 | jiù | then; just; right away; only | HSK 2 |
| 这儿 | zhèr | here | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
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✗到目前为止了
✓到目前为止
No 了 after 为止.
-
✗算了吗？
✓算了吧。
算了 ends a discussion; it is not a question.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 工作归工作，休息 休息。
2. 到现在 ，他还没有回复。
3. 找不到就 ，我再买一个。