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HSK 4 Grammar Guide / HSK4 语法

Master key grammar patterns with examples, common errors, and interactive quizzes. See how each point builds from HSK 3 to HSK 5.

Sentence Patterns / 句型
把
把字句 — The 把 Construction
8 patterns · drag-and-drop exercises · error correction · quizzes
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HSK3 → HSK4 → HSK5 Progression

HSK 3
被+O+V+other
HSK 4 (New)
叫/让+O+V+other
HSK 5
被/叫/让+O+给+V+other
Pattern: S + 叫/让 + Agent + V + other
我的手机叫弟弟摔坏了。
Wǒ de shǒujī jiào dìdi shuāi huài le.
My phone was broken by my younger brother (from dropping it).
蛋糕让孩子们吃完了。
Dàngāo ràng háizimen chī wán le.
The cake was eaten up by the children.

Note: 被 is more formal/written; 叫/让 are more colloquial. 叫 often implies something undesirable happened.

✗ 我的车让偷了。 — Agent is missing
✓ 我的车让人偷了。 (Agent: 人)
Quick Quiz — 被动句 (4 questions)
那本书同学借走了。
This is a passive construction: the book was borrowed by a classmate. 被 marks the passive voice.
Which sentence correctly uses 叫/让 as a passive marker?
Options A, B, D use 让/叫 as causative ("make/let someone do something"). Only C uses 叫 as a passive marker: "The wallet was stolen by a thief."
自行车风吹倒了。
The bicycle (patient) was blown over by wind (agent). 让 marks the passive here: 自行车让风吹倒了。
Which passive marker is most formal?
被 is the most formal/written passive marker. 叫 and 让 are more colloquial. 给 is even more informal (dialectal).

HSK2 → HSK3 → HSK4 → HSK5 Progression

HSK 2-3
A比B+adj
A跟B一样
A不比B+adj
HSK 4 (New)
A不如B
跟…相比
HSK 5
A+adj+B+数量补语
Pattern 1: A + 不如 + B
我的中文不如他的好。
Wǒ de zhōngwén bùrú tā de hǎo.
My Chinese is not as good as his.
Pattern 2: 跟 + B + 相比, A…
跟去年相比，今年的成绩好多了。
Gēn qùnián xiāngbǐ, jīnnián de chéngjì hǎo duō le.
Compared to last year, this year's results are much better.

不如 vs 不比: 不如 means "not as good as" (clear inferiority). 不比 means "not necessarily better than" (neutral).

Quick Quiz — 比较句 (3 questions)
这家饭馆那家好吃。
不如 means "not as good as": This restaurant is not as good (in taste) as that one.
以前相比，他的汉语水平提高了很多。
跟…相比 means "compared with…". 跟以前相比 = Compared with before.
Which sentence means "Watching TV is not as good as reading"?
不如 expresses "not as good as" — 看电视不如看书 = watching TV is not as good as reading.
Degree Complement: Adj/心理V + 死了/厉害
今天热死了！
Jīntiān rè sǐ le!
It's extremely hot today!
她紧张得厉害。
Tā jǐnzhāng de lìhài.
She was extremely nervous.
Potential Complement: V + 得/不 + 了
这么多菜，我们吃不了。
Zhème duō cài, wǒmen chī bu liǎo.
So many dishes, we can't finish them.
别担心，这个工作我做得了。
Bié dānxīn, zhège gōngzuò wǒ zuò de liǎo.
Don't worry, I can handle this job.

了 (liǎo) vs 了 (le): In potential complements, 了 is pronounced "liǎo" and means "able to complete/manage". Don't confuse it with the particle 了 (le).

Quick Quiz — 补语 (3 questions)
这些行李太重了，我一个人。
拿不了 (ná bu liǎo) = unable to carry/manage. The potential complement V不了 expresses inability.
昨天的考试，我一晚上没睡好。
Adj+死了 is the degree complement pattern meaning "extremely": 难死了 = extremely difficult.
What does 吃得了 mean?
V得了 (de liǎo) is the affirmative potential complement: "can manage to V / is able to V". 吃得了 = can finish eating.
Complex Sentences / 复句

HSK3 → HSK4 Progression

HSK 3
虽然…但是
因为…所以
如果…就
只有…才 / 只要…就
HSK 4 (New)
尽管…但是 · 既然…就
不管…都 · 无论…都
即使…也 · 不是…而是
连…也/都 · 甚至
尽管…但是/可是 (concession — even though)
尽管天气不好，但是我们还是出去了。
Jǐnguǎn tiānqì bù hǎo, dànshì wǒmen háishì chūqù le.
Even though the weather was bad, we still went out.
不管/无论…都/也 (condition — no matter)
不管多忙，我都要锻炼身体。
Bùguǎn duō máng, wǒ dōu yào duànliàn shēntǐ.
No matter how busy I am, I will exercise.
即使…也 (concession — even if)
即使失败了，我也不会放弃。
Jíshǐ shībài le, wǒ yě bú huì fàngqì.
Even if I fail, I won't give up.
既然…就 (since/given that)
既然你不喜欢，就别买了。
Jìrán nǐ bù xǐhuan, jiù bié mǎi le.
Since you don't like it, then don't buy it.
不是…而是 (not… but rather)
他不是不想去，而是没有时间。
Tā búshì bù xiǎng qù, érshì méiyǒu shíjiān.
It's not that he doesn't want to go, but rather that he doesn't have time.
连…也/都 (even — emphasis)
他连自己的名字都不会写。
Tā lián zìjǐ de míngzì dōu bú huì xiě.
He can't even write his own name.
Quick Quiz — 复句 (5 questions)
天气多冷，他都坚持跑步。
不管…都 = no matter…still. 不管天气多冷，他都坚持跑步 = No matter how cold it is, he keeps running.
你已经决定了，去做吧。
既然…就 = since…then. "Since you've already decided, then go do it."
他不想去，没有时间去。
不是…而是 = not…but rather. "It's not that he doesn't want to go, but rather that he doesn't have time."
下雨，比赛不会取消。
即使…也 = even if…still. "Even if it rains, the competition still won't be cancelled." 即使 introduces a hypothetical scenario.
他饭没吃就走了。
连…都 emphasizes that even the most basic thing wasn't done: "He didn't even eat and left." (He left without even eating.)
Rhetorical: 难道…吗？(Don't tell me…?)
难道你不知道吗？
Nándào nǐ bù zhīdào ma?
Don't you know? (Of course you should know!)
Rhetorical with question pronouns
这谁不知道啊？
Zhè shéi bù zhīdào a?
Who doesn't know this? (= Everyone knows this.)
Double Negative: 不得不 / 不能不
时间不够了，我不得不放弃。
Shíjiān bú gòu le, wǒ bùdébù fàngqì.
There's not enough time, I have no choice but to give up.

Key insight: Rhetorical questions express strong affirmation through a question form. Double negatives also express affirmation: 不得不 = must/have to.

Quick Quiz — 反问句 & 双重否定 (3 questions)
难道你觉得这样做是对的吗？This sentence expresses:
难道…吗 is a rhetorical question expressing the opposite of what's literally asked. The speaker strongly implies "doing this is wrong."
下雨了，我带伞出门。
不得不 = have to / have no choice but to. "It rained, so I had to bring an umbrella."
What does 这谁不想要啊 mean?
This is a rhetorical question using 谁不 (who doesn't…?), meaning "everyone does!" 这谁不想要啊 = Everyone wants this!
Key Word Classes / 词类
竟然 — unexpectedly (surprise)
他竟然通过了HSK 6！
Tā jìngrán tōngguò le HSK liù!
He actually passed HSK 6! (unexpectedly)
究竟 / 到底 — after all, on earth (emphasis in questions)
你到底去不去？
Nǐ dàodǐ qù bu qù?
Are you going or not? (emphatic)
千万 — by all means / absolutely must (not)
明天考试，你千万别迟到。
Míngtiān kǎoshì, nǐ qiānwàn bié chídào.
There's an exam tomorrow — whatever you do, don't be late.
只好 — have no choice but to
没有公交车了，我只好打车回家。
Méiyǒu gōngjiāo chē le, wǒ zhǐhǎo dǎ chē huí jiā.
There were no more buses, so I had no choice but to take a taxi home.
Quick Quiz — 副词 (4 questions)
没想到他能做出这么好吃的菜！
竟然 expresses surprise at an unexpected outcome: "Didn't expect he could actually make such delicious food!"
过马路的时候要注意安全。
千万 = absolutely must / by all means. Used for strong warnings and advice.
钥匙丢了，我请人来开锁。
只好 = had no choice but to. "I lost my key, so I had to call someone to open the lock."
你想怎么办？
究竟 (or 到底) is used in questions for emphasis: "What on earth do you want to do?"
对于 — regarding / as for (introduces topic)
对于这个问题，大家看法不同。
Duìyú zhège wèntí, dàjiā kànfǎ bùtóng.
Regarding this issue, everyone has different views.
关于 — about / concerning (introduces topic)
关于HSK考试，我有几个问题想问。
Guānyú HSK kǎoshì, wǒ yǒu jǐ ge wèntí xiǎng wèn.
Regarding the HSK exam, I have some questions to ask.
由于 — due to / because of (formal)
由于天气原因，航班取消了。
Yóuyú tiānqì yuányīn, hángbān qǔxiāo le.
Due to weather, the flight was cancelled.
作为 — as / in the capacity of
作为老师，他很受学生欢迎。
Zuòwéi lǎoshī, tā hěn shòu xuéshēng huānyíng.
As a teacher, he is very popular with students.

对于 vs 关于: 对于 focuses on attitude/opinion toward something. 关于 introduces a topic of discussion. Often interchangeable, but 关于 can be used as an attributive (关于HSK的书), while 对于 cannot.

Quick Quiz — 介词 & 连词 (3 questions)
这件事，我不太了解。
关于 introduces the topic: "About this matter, I don't know much."
交通堵塞，他迟到了。
由于 = due to / because of (formal causation). "Due to traffic congestion, he was late."
一名学生，你应该认真学习。
作为 = as / in the capacity of. "As a student, you should study seriously."

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About HSK 4 Grammar / 关于HSK4语法

HSK 4 grammar builds on the foundation of HSK 1-3, introducing more complex sentence patterns and nuanced expressions. Key additions include the expanded 把字句 (bǎ construction) with four new patterns, the colloquial passive markers 叫 and 让, new comparison structures (不如 and 跟…相比), and a rich set of complex sentence connectors like 尽管…但是, 既然…就, 不管…都, and 即使…也.

Understanding HSK 4 grammar is crucial for the reading and writing sections of the exam, where sentence reordering and fill-in-the-blank questions directly test grammatical knowledge. Our interactive quizzes above let you practice each grammar point with instant feedback — a study method proven more effective than passive reading.

This grammar guide is based on the official 《新版HSK考试大纲》(New HSK Exam Syllabus, published November 2025, effective July 2026) and covers all grammar points specified for HSK Level 4. For complete vocabulary practice, visit our HSK 4 Vocabulary List with 1,000 words, flashcards, and quizzes. Created by Mandarin Zone.