HSK 5 grammar

HSK 5 grammar is mostly about written and formal Chinese: connectors such as 从而, 可见 and 一旦, adverbs like 毕竟 and 居然, and patterns such as 不但不…反而…. Recognising them speeds up reading a lot.

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 一旦…就… 一旦…就…: once, if ever 一旦 A 就 B = once A happens, B follows: 一旦养成习惯，就很难改.
2. 2 万一 / 假如 万一 and 假如: in case, if 万一 = in case (something bad happens); 假如 = if, supposing (formal).
3. 3 哪怕…也… 哪怕…也…: even if 哪怕 A 也 B = even if A (an extreme case), still B: 哪怕再累，我也要完成.
4. 4 不但不…反而… 不但不…反而…: not only not… but on the contrary Something turns out the opposite of what you’d expect: 他不但不生气，反而笑了.
5. 5 从而 / 可见 / 总之 从而, 可见, 总之: thus, so we can see, in short Formal connectors: 从而 = thereby; 可见 = this shows that; 总之 = in short.
6. 6 毕竟 / 反正 / 简直 / 居然 毕竟, 反正, 简直, 居然: attitude adverbs 毕竟 = after all; 反正 = anyway; 简直 = simply, practically; 居然 = surprisingly.
7. 7 似乎 / 仿佛 / 似的 似乎, 仿佛, …似的: seem, as if 似乎 = seems (formal 好像); 仿佛 = as if; 像…似的 = like….
8. 8 曾经 / 始终 / 早已 / 即将 曾经, 始终, 早已, 即将: time adverbs 曾经 = once, in the past; 始终 = all along; 早已 = long since; 即将 = about to (formal).
9. 9 自从…以来 自从…以来: ever since 自从 A 以来 = ever since A: 自从来中国以来，我的汉语进步了很多.
10. 10 由 由: by, made up of 由…组成 = made up of; 由 + person + 负责 = handled by.
11. 11 A来A去 / 说A就A A来A去 and 说A就A: fixed patterns 想来想去 = think it over and over; 说走就走 = leave on the spot.
12. 12 舍不得 / 来不及 / 用不着 / 不得了 舍不得, 来不及, 用不着: fixed potential forms 舍不得 = can’t bear to; 来不及 = too late to; 用不着 = no need; 好得不得了 = extremely good.
13. 13 下来 / 下去 / 起来 / 过来 下来, 下去, 起来, 过来: changes of state 静下来 calm down; 胖下去 keep getting fatter; 好起来 get better; 醒过来 come round.
14. 14 为的是 / 以便 为的是 and 以便: in order to (formal) Put the purpose second: 他每天早起，为的是多复习一会儿.
15. 15 没有…就没有… / 不…不… / 再…也… 没有…就没有… and 不…不…: compact conditions 没有你就没有今天的我; 不见不散 (won’t leave till we meet); 再忙也要吃饭.
16. 16 凭 / 据 / 依据 凭, 据, 依据: based on, according to 凭 = on the strength of; 据说 = it is said; 依据 = based on (formal).
17. 17 以及 / 并且 / 同时 以及, 并且, 同时: and (formal) 以及 joins the last item of a formal list; 并且 and 同时 join clauses.