LEARN + CHINESE / 156 of 300 HSK 4
Expensive It Is, Worth It Still X是X
Your friend points out that the restaurant is expensive. You agree, then explain why you still like it: “Expensive it is, but the food is excellent.” Repeating the word with 是 accepts the fact before the speaker adds a qualification. Related conversational frames say a task has to be done either way, or that one simple action is enough.
贵是贵，不过这家店的菜确实好吃。
guì shì guì, búguò zhè jiā diàn de cài quèshí hǎochī.
It is expensive, but the food here really is good.
去也得去，不去也得去，大家都等着我呢。
qù yě děi qù, bú qù yě děi qù, dàjiā dōu děngzhe wǒ ne.
I have to go either way; everyone is waiting for me.
有意见就直接说出来就是了。
yǒu yìjiàn jiù zhíjiē shuō chūlai jiù shì le.
If you have an opinion, just say it directly.
孩子小是小，可是做事特别认真。
háizi xiǎo shì xiǎo, kěshì zuòshì tèbié rènzhēn.
The child is young, but very serious about what they do.
Hint · 힌트
X是X often concedes the first point before 可是 or 不过 adds a qualification. X也得X，不X也得X says there is no way around it; X就是了 softens a direct instruction to “just do X.”
Vocabulary
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
guì shì guì | expensive it is (but…) |
búguò | but; however |
cài | dish; food |
quèshí | indeed; really |
hǎochī | tasty |
qù yě děi qù | have to go either way |
děngzhe | to be waiting |
yìjiàn | opinion |
zhíjiē | directly |
shuō chūlai | to say out loud |
jiù shì le | just do it; that’s all |
háizi | child |
xiǎo | small; young |
kěshì | but; however |
zuòshì | to handle things; work |
tèbié | especially; particularly |
rènzhēn | serious; conscientious |
guì | expensive |
děi | have to; must |
yě | also; too |
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