HSK 4 grammar

HSK 4 grammar is about connecting ideas: 不仅…而且…, 即使…也…, 无论…都…, 既然…就…, and more uses of 把 and 被. Reading questions often test whether you can follow these links across a passage.

Each page explains one point, with examples you can listen to, common mistakes and a three-question quiz. The points follow the grammar list in the 2025 HSK syllabus, grouped into the patterns you actually use.

1. 1 不管 / 无论…都… 不管 / 无论…都…: no matter 不管 or 无论 + an open question, then 都: 不管多忙，他都每天跑步.
2. 2 即使…也… 即使…也…: even if 即使 A 也 B = even if A, still B: 即使下雨，我们也去.
3. 3 既然…就… 既然…就…: since, now that 既然 A 就 B = since A is the case, B: 既然你不舒服，就别去了.
4. 4 不仅…而且… / 不光…还… 不仅 / 不光…而且 / 还…: not only 不仅 and 不光 work like 不但: 不仅好看，而且便宜. Common in written Chinese.
5. 5 甚至 甚至: even 甚至 introduces a surprising, more extreme point: 他很忙，甚至周末也工作.
6. 6 尽管…但是… 尽管…但是 / 还是…: although (formal) 尽管 is a more formal 虽然: 尽管很累，他还是坚持完成了.
7. 7 却 却: but, yet 却 marks an unexpected contrast and goes after the subject: 他很累，却不想休息.
8. 8 竟然 / 到底 / 难道 竟然, 到底, 难道: surprise and emphasis 竟然 = surprisingly; 到底 = (in questions) on earth; 难道…吗？ = surely not…?
9. 9 把 More 把 sentences: 把…V一V, 把…V了 At HSK 4, 把 also takes a doubled verb (把房间打扫打扫), 了, or an amount (把书看了两遍).
10. 10 让 / 叫 让 and 叫 as passive: 被 in speech In speech, 让 and 叫 can replace 被, but the doer must be named: 我的车让人借走了.
11. 11 不如 / 跟…相比 不如 and 跟…相比: comparisons A 不如 B = A isn’t as good as B. 跟…相比 = compared with….
12. 12 不得不 / 没有…不 Double negatives: 不得不, 非…不可 Two negatives make a strong positive: 不得不 = have no choice but to.
13. 13 不是…而是… 不是…而是…: not A but B 不是 A 而是 B corrects a wrong idea: 他不是不想来，而是没时间.
14. 14 既…又… / 一方面…另一方面… 既…又… and 一方面…另一方面…: both, on the one hand 既 A 又 B = both A and B (formal). 一方面…另一方面… = on the one hand… on the other….
15. 15 首先 / 其次 / 然后 / 最后 首先…其次…最后: firstly, secondly, finally Use 首先, 其次 and 最后 to order points or steps, especially in essays and speaking.
16. 16 于是 / 因此 / 由于 于是, 因此, 由于: so, therefore, because of 于是 = so (then, what happened next); 因此 = therefore; 由于 = because of (formal).
17. 17 否则 / 要是 否则 and 要是: otherwise, if 否则 = otherwise: 快走吧，否则要迟到了. 要是 = if (spoken).
18. 18 连…都 / 也… 连…都 / 也…: even 连 A 都 B = even A…: 他连饭都没吃. It stresses something surprising.
19. 19 千万 / 只好 / 确实 / 恐怕 千万, 只好, 确实, 恐怕: more useful adverbs 千万别 = whatever you do, don’t; 只好 = have no choice but; 确实 = really; 恐怕 = I’m afraid.
20. 20 差（一）点儿 差点儿: nearly 差点儿 = nearly (but didn’t): 我差点儿迟到了 = I was nearly late.
21. 21 百分之 / 分之 / 倍 / 左右 Numbers: percent, fractions, 倍, 左右 百分之二十 = 20%, 三分之一 = one third, 两倍 = twice, 十个左右 = about ten.