不过

bùguò

HSK 4

不过 — bùguò

1. only; merely; no more than

   我不过是个新手，请多指教。 wǒ bùguò shì gè xīnshǒu qǐng duō zhǐjiào — I'm merely a beginner — please give me guidance.

2. but; however (introducing a contrast)

   他很聪明，不过有点儿自负。 tā hěn cōngmíng bùguò yǒudiǎnér zìfù — He's very smart, but a bit arrogant.

3. anyway; to return to a previous topic (discourse marker)

   不过，回到正题，我们该讨论计划了。 bùguò huídào zhèngtí wǒmen gāi tǎolùn jìhuà le — Anyway, back to the main topic — we should discuss the plan.

4. cannot be more (used after an adjective to mean 'extremely' or 'nothing could be more ...')

   这道菜简单不过，吃起来很舒服。 zhè dàocài jiǎndān bùguò chī qǐlái hěn shūfú — This dish couldn't be simpler and is very comforting to eat.