Concession: 虽然...但是, 尽管, 不过

Concession is when you acknowledge one fact but push back against the conclusion someone might draw from it. In English you use words like "although," "even though," and "however." Chinese has its own set of tools for this, and like the cause-and-result patterns, they range from casual to formal.

虽然...但是: the core concession pair

虽然 (suīrán, "although") introduces the conceded fact, and 但是 (dànshì, "but") introduces the pushback. They are used together so often that learners often learn them as a unit.

虽然 + [Conceded Fact], 但是 + [Main Point]

• 虽然很贵，但是质量很好。(Suīrán hěn guì, dànshì zhìliàng hěn hǎo.) -- Although it's expensive, the quality is very good.
• 虽然他很忙，但是他总是帮助别人。(Suīrán tā hěn máng, dànshì tā zǒngshì bāngzhù biérén.) -- Although he is very busy, he always helps others.
• 虽然我很累，但是我还是要去。(Suīrán wǒ hěn lèi, dànshì wǒ háishì yào qù.) -- Although I'm tired, I'm still going to go.

Just like 因为...所以, you can drop either half if the context makes the meaning clear. Dropping 虽然 and keeping 但是 is the more common shortcut in speech:

• 这家餐厅不好找，但是很值得。(Zhè jiā cāntīng bù hǎo zhǎo, dànshì hěn zhídé.) -- This restaurant is hard to find, but it's worth it.

但是 can also be swapped for the slightly softer 可是 (kěshì) with no real change in meaning. 可是 sounds a touch more conversational.

• 虽然天气不好，可是我们玩得很开心。(Suīrán tiānqì bù hǎo, kěshì wǒmen wán de hěn kāixīn.) -- Although the weather was bad, we had a great time.

尽管: "even though," with more force

尽管 (jǐnguǎn) is close to 虽然 in meaning but carries a stronger sense of "even though" or "despite the fact that." It tends to appear in slightly more formal or emphatic contexts, and the contrast it sets up often feels more pointed.

• 尽管下雨，他还是去跑步了。(Jǐnguǎn xià yǔ, tā háishì qù pǎobù le.) -- Even though it was raining, he still went running.
• 尽管有很多困难，他们没有放弃。(Jǐnguǎn yǒu hěn duō kùnnán, tāmen méiyǒu fàngqì.) -- Despite all the difficulties, they did not give up.
• 尽管如此，我们还是要继续。(Jǐnguǎn rúcǐ, wǒmen háishì yào jìxù.) -- Even so, we will continue.

尽管 often pairs with 还是 (háishì, "still") in the result clause, which reinforces the sense that something happened despite an obstacle.

One thing to watch: 尽管 in a different tone can mean "go ahead" or "feel free," as in 你尽管说 (Nǐ jǐnguǎn shuō, "go ahead and say it"). Context makes it clear which meaning is intended.

不过: "however," light and conversational

不过 (búguò) is the most casual of the three. It softens the contrast rather than sharpening it, making it a gentler way to introduce a qualification or reservation. It is very common in everyday speech.

• 这个菜不错，不过有点咸。(Zhège cài bùcuò, búguò yǒudiǎn xián.) -- This dish is pretty good, but a little salty.
• 我可以帮你，不过今天比较忙。(Wǒ kěyǐ bāng nǐ, búguò jīntiān bǐjiào máng.) -- I can help you, but I'm fairly busy today.
• 他说得很有道理，不过我不太同意。(Tā shuō de hěn yǒu dàolǐ, búguò wǒ bù tài tóngyì.) -- What he said makes sense, but I don't quite agree.

不过 always sits at the start of the second clause, not paired with anything at the start of the first. This makes it feel more like an afterthought or a light qualification than a formal contrast.

How they compare

Word	Register	Feel	Common partner
虽然	Everyday	"Although"	但是 or 可是
但是 / 可是	Everyday	"But"	虽然
尽管	Slightly formal	"Even though," stronger contrast	还是
不过	Casual	"However," soft qualification	Nothing at the start

For most conversations, 虽然...但是 and 不过 will cover everything you need. 尽管 is worth having for when you want to stress that something happened in spite of a real obstacle, and it starts to appear more in intermediate reading material. All three are high-frequency and worth getting comfortable with early.