无非／只不过…罢了
merely …, that is all (playing something down)
Structure
无非／不过／只不过／只是 事情 罢了／而已
What it means
Frames something as small: “merely…, that is all”. Both halves mean “only”, so together they play the matter down.
How it is built
不过／只不过／只是／无非（是）+ matter + 罢了／而已: 长相不过是小事罢了 (looks are only a small matter). 我只不过提了个建议而已 (I only made a suggestion).
When to use it
无非 (“nothing more than”, usually 无非是) is more written. 罢了 sounds spoken and can be resigned or dismissive; 而已 is slightly more written. Either half can stand alone, but the pair is most natural.
Watch out
Don’t use it for something you mean to stress: it shrinks it. Don’t stack the end words: ✗ 罢了而已.
Examples
孔子却笑着说：“长相不过是小事罢了。”
Confucius just laughed: “What I look like is a small matter.”
我只不过提了个建议而已，主意还得你自己拿。
I only made a suggestion; the decision is yours.
他说这些，无非是想让大家多支持他罢了。
All he wants, saying this, is for people to back him more.
Learn this in Lesson 86 · HSK 6–7: 孔子其人 (Confucius the man)
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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