尽管……，毕竟／总是／不过……
although …, still / after all …
Structure
尽管 承认的事实 ， 主语 毕竟／总是／不过 另一面
What it means
尽管 admits a real fact, and the second clause pushes back: 毕竟 “after all”, 总是 “all the same”, 不过 a mild “but”.
How it is built
尽管 + fact，subject + 毕竟／总是／不过 + the other side: 尽管他说话不太好听，可总是为你好 (he may not put it nicely, but it’s for your own good all the same). 但 or 可 may stand before it.
When to use it
毕竟 names the fact that matters more; 总是 (here 总归, not “always”) holds on to what can’t change. Compare 尽管…仍然, where the result simply does not change.
Watch out
尽管 is for real facts only: ✗ 尽管明天下雨 ✓ 即使明天下雨 (even if). Alone, 尽管 + verb means “feel free to”: 有问题尽管问.
Examples
尽管小说歪曲了不少史实，它毕竟让三国人物的忠心、智慧和英雄气概深入人心。
Although the novel distorts many historical facts, it has, after all, fixed the loyalty, wisdom and heroism of the Three Kingdoms’ figures in people’s hearts.
尽管他说话不太好听，可总是为你好，你就别生气了。
He may not put it nicely, but it is for your own good all the same. Don’t be cross with him.
尽管他平时很大意，不过这次准备得特别认真。
He is usually careless, but this time he prepared especially carefully.
Learn this in Lesson 89 · HSK 6–7: 三国：历史与小说 (The Three Kingdoms: history and the novel)
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.
Open the lesson →