HSK 4 Connector Traps / 复句关联词陷阱

尽管 = REAL, factual ("even though X is true"):
✓ 尽管下雨了，但是我们还是去了。 Jǐnguǎn xià yǔ le, dànshì wǒmen háishì qù le. — "Even though it rained, we still went." (It DID rain.)
✓ 尽管他工作很忙，但是每天都坚持运动。 Jǐnguǎn tā gōngzuò hěn máng, dànshì měi tiān dōu jiānchí yùndòng. — "Even though he's very busy, he exercises every day." (He IS busy.)
✓ 尽管这个办法不太好，可是现在没有更好的选择。 Jǐnguǎn zhège bànfǎ bú tài hǎo, kěshì xiànzài méi yǒu gèng hǎo de xuǎnzé. — "Even though this method isn't great, there's no better choice now." (The method IS not great.)

即使 = HYPOTHETICAL ("even if X were to happen"):
✓ 即使下雨，我们也要去。 Jíshǐ xià yǔ, wǒmen yě yào qù. — "Even if it rains, we will still go." (It may or may not rain.)
✓ 即使再难，我们也要坚持下去。 Jíshǐ zài nán, wǒmen yě yào jiānchí xiàqù. — "Even if it gets harder, we'll persist." (Might not get harder.)
✓ 即使你不告诉我，我也会知道的。 Jíshǐ nǐ bù gàosu wǒ, wǒ yě huì zhīdào de. — "Even if you don't tell me, I'll find out." (You might tell me anyway.)

Spoken (听力 / 短对话): 不管多忙，他都会回家吃饭。 Bùguǎn duō máng, tā dōu huì huí jiā chī fàn. — "No matter how busy, he comes home for dinner."

Written (阅读 / 段落): 无论遇到什么困难，我们都不能放弃。 Wúlùn yùdào shénme kùnnán, wǒmen dōu bùnéng fàngqì. — "Regardless of what difficulties we face, we cannot give up."