What is the difference between 可是, 但是, 但, 而, 不过, and 然而?

Question

What is the difference between 可是, 但是, 但, 而, 不过, and 然而?

All of these mean "but" and I can't find any information in my dictionary on what differentiates them.

Answer 1

可是, 但是 and 但 (但 is the shortened form of 但是) can all be translated as 'but'

Example: "You can drink, but you can't smoke"

• "喝酒可以，可是不能抽煙" (可是 is more literary)

• "喝酒可以，但是不能抽煙" / "喝酒可以，但不能抽煙" (但是 and 但 are more colloquial)

不过, and 然而 can both be translated as 'however' or 'but'

Example: "You can drink, however, you can't smoke"

• "喝酒可以，不过不能抽煙" (不过 is more colloquial)

• "喝酒可以，然而不能抽煙" (然而 is more literary)

When '而' is acting as a short form of '而且', it means 'and also'

Examples:

• 快而凖 = 快速而且準確 (fast and (also) accurate)

• 簡而清 = 簡潔而且清楚 (brief and (also) clear)

而 functions as "but" or 'however' when it is in the following structures:

• [能(A) 而 不能(B)] = [can (A) but can't (B)]

• [可(A) 而 不可(B)] = [allowed to (A) but not allowed to (B)]

Examples:

[能喝酒 而 不能抽煙]

[可喝酒 而 不可抽煙]

而 also functions as "but" or 'however' when it is in the following structure [(verb) (A) 而 (不 verb) (B)] = [(verb) (A) but (not verb) (B)]

Examples:

[擅攻 而 不擅守] (good at attack but not good at defend)

[愛酒 而 不愛煙] (like wine but not like cigarette)