但凡…
whenever; as long as; anyone who … at all
Structure
但凡 条件 ，（主语）就／都 结果
What it means
Sets a condition and says that every time it holds, the result follows: “whenever, as long as, anyone who … at all”.
How it is built
但凡 + condition，(subject) + 就／都 + result: 但凡去过广州的人，都忘不了那里的早茶 (Nobody who has been to Guangzhou forgets its dim sum). It can follow the subject: 他但凡有空就回家.
When to use it
A little bookish or old-style spoken, weightier than 只要. Unlike 凡是, it takes a bare condition, often with 有 or 能: 但凡有空就回家, not ✗凡是有空就回家. With 也 + negative it is counterfactual: 但凡有办法，也不会…
Watch out
Do not drop 就／都: ✗但凡有空，回家。 ✓但凡有空就回家。 And do not use it for a single event in the past: it states what happens every time.
Examples
但凡家里有人上火，妈妈就会煲一锅去火的汤。
Whenever anyone at home is “heaty”, Mum makes a pot of soup to cool them down.
但凡去过广州的人，都忘不了那里的早茶。
Nobody who has been to Guangzhou ever forgets its morning dim sum.
他但凡有一点儿办法，也不会开口向别人借钱。
If he had any other way out at all, he would not be asking people to lend him money.
Learn this in Lesson 136 · HSK 7–9: 一锅老火汤 (A pot of slow-cooked soup)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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