kě可
shì是
(Mandarin)
(Cantonese)

HSK 3

Dictionary

but; however/(used for emphasis) indeed

Examples

我想去游泳,可是今天下雨了。

Wǒ xiǎng qù yóuyǒng, kěshì jīntiān xià yǔ le.

→ I want to go swimming, but it's raining today.

这件事可是真的,我没有骗你。

Zhè jiàn shì kěshì zhēn de, wǒ méiyǒu piàn nǐ.

→ This matter is indeed true; I'm not lying to you.

Did You Know?

Grammar

Word Formation

可 means 'can/but' and 是 means 'is'.

Usage Tips

可是 is a conjunction meaning 'but', used to contrast: 我想去,可是没时间 (I want to go, but I have no time).