不过 (bù guò) — only in Mandarin
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#198 most common word · HSK 4 · CEFR B1
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
不过 is pronounced bù guò. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
zhè ge jià gé yǒudiǎn guì, búguò zhì liàng hěn hǎo.
This price is a bit expensive, however the quality is very good.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 不过 mean?+
不过 (bù guò) means "only" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 不过?+
不过 is pronounced bù guò. It uses the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 不过 in Mandarin?+
不过 is the #198 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 不过 fits
Every HSK 4 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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