# 而



## matty884

I know that "而" can mean yet, and, but.  For example in the phrase: 快而馬虎 is 而 meaning yet, and, but?  Can someone distinguish (hopefully give a few examples) showing 而 being used as yet, and, but (conjunction roles?)  

Thanks


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## lmyyyks

For 而, the meaning "yet" is no different from "but", to me.
It's use is easy, just links two adjectives/verbs together, disregarding their nature.
Such as
快(positive)而準(positive)
老(neutral)而不(死)(neutral) "This is actually very malicious! You'd better not to say it."
快(positive)而馬虎(negative)
錯(negative)而不改(negative)


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## aaron792

You can interprete "而" as "and" in these situations~


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## Polak2008

The old meanign it is that resemblance of rake..


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## xiaolijie

而 is not like "yet, and, but" in English. Its function is to join 2 qualities together and only *the context* will tell you whether it should be translated as "yet" or "and" or "but", etc.


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## eliasdaniel

When 而 links two words, you should examine the nature of them to determine the meaning of 而. But(而) if it is used at the top of a sentence, it always means "but", just like what you can see in this sentence.


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## yuechu

Hello!
Is the word 而 formal and,or more common in written Chinese? Do people use the word in informal conversations too?
Thanks!


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## Jack12345

yuechu said:


> Hello!
> Is the word 而 formal and,or more common in written Chinese? Do people use the word in informal conversations too?
> Thanks!


Yes, it is always used both in formal and informal conversation.


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## yuechu

Good to know! Thanks, Jack12345!


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## albert_laosong

I'm not sure, I thought about it and had a feeling that in informal conversations, for example in the casual conversations between family members or close friends, it might not be used often.  
I think it's more used in conversations like when you talk with your co-workers about some issues at work, or if you are debating with someone.
That is, when you are trying to convery a meaning that's complicated. 
Just a feeling, so only for your reference.


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## yuechu

大家好！
I was recently reading the following sentence on a Chinese blog: 正当新冠病毒疫情肆虐之时，复活节假期悄然而至。(Source: yuntai_文学城博客)
Is 而 being used as an independent word here, or is it part of a fixed expression?
Thanks!


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## SuperXW

yuechu said:


> I was recently reading the following sentence on a Chinese blog: 正当新冠病毒疫情肆虐之时，复活节假期悄然而至。(Source: yuntai_文学城博客)
> Is 而 being used as an independent word here, or is it part of a fixed expression?


XX而至 literally means “to come (in xx manner)”
It often appears in Chinese idioms or common expressions. I would say it's "half-fixed".
E.g.
接踵而至
蜂拥而至
闻风而至
不期而至

而来 means the same thing. 而至/而来 are interchangeable.


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## yuechu

Oh, that makes a lot of sense now then! Thanks for your helpful explanations, SuperXW!


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