How to use 除了…以外 (chúle…yǐwài) in Chinese: aside from, except for, in addition

了…以外 is used to say except for, or aside from in Chinese. The phrase is used to introduce more information or give an exception. In this post we’ll look at some examples of this phrase.

Time, Subject and Object Usage

The basic was of using 除chú了le......以yǐ外wài is “除了 <noun phrase> 以外”. 除chú了le......以yǐ外wài can be used with time, subjects (the person or thing doing an action), or objects (the person or thing involved in the action). Let’s look at some examples:

Time:

除chú了le昨zuó天tiān，,今jīn天tiān也yě很hěn热rè。.
chú​le zuó​tiān, jīn​tiān yě hěn rè.
Besides yesterday today is also hot.

Subject:

除chú了le爸bà爸ba意yì外wài，,妈mā妈ma也yě要yào去qù。.
chú​le bà​ba yì​wài, mā​ma yě yào qù.
Besides dad, mum also wants to go.

Object:

除chú了le汽qì车chē以yǐ外wài，,他tā也yě喜xǐ欢huan摩mó托tuō车chē。.
chú​le qì​chē yǐ​wài, tā yě xǐ​huan mó​tuō​chē.
Besides cars, he also likes motorbikes.

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It’s not necessary to include both 除chú了le and 以yǐ外wài, one can be dropped, so for the example he following are equivalent:

除chú了le爸bà爸ba，,妈mā妈ma也yě要yào去qù。.
chú​le bà​ba, mā​ma yě yào qù.
Besides dad, mum also wants to go.

爸bà爸ba意yì外wài，,妈mā妈ma也yě要yào去qù。.
bà​ba yì​wài, mā​ma yě yào qù.
Besides dad, mum also wants to go.

除chú了le爸bà爸ba以yǐ外wài，,妈mā妈ma也yě要yào去qù。.
chú​le bà​ba yǐ​wài, mā​ma yě yào qù.
Besides dad, mum also wants to go.

除了…以外 and Adverbs: 也，又，还，都

Several adverbs can follow 除chú了le......以yǐ外wài, these are as follows:

也 (yě) – also

Pairing 除chú了le......以yǐ外wài with 也yě means “also”, for example:

除chú了le爸bà爸ba以yǐ外wài，,妈mā妈ma也yě要yào去qù。.
chú​le bà​ba yǐ​wài, mā​ma yě yào qù.
Besides dad, mum also wants to go.

除chú了le我wǒ以yǐ外wài，,他tā也yě不bù喜xǐ欢huan上shàng课kè。.
chú​le wǒ yǐ​wài, tā yě bù xǐ​huan shàng​kè.
Besides me, he also doesn’t like to attend class.

又 (yòu) – again

Pairing 除chú了le......以yǐ外wài with 又yòu creates the meaning of “again”, very similar to 也yě “also”, for example:

除chú了le游yóu泳yǒng以yǐ外wài，,我wǒ又yòu踢tī球qiú。.
chú​le yóu​yǒng yǐ​wài, wǒ yòu tī qiú.
Besides swimming, I also played soccer (football).

还 (hái) – still

Pairing 除chú了le......以yǐ外wài with 还hái means “still”, for example:

除chú了le德Dé国guó以yǐ外wài，,我wǒ还hái不bù喜xǐ欢huan欧Oū洲zhōu。.
chú​le Dé​guó yǐ​wài, wǒ hái bù xǐ​huan Oū​zhōu.
Besides Germany, I still don’t like Europe.

除chú了le苹píng果guǒ以yǐ外wài，,他tā们men还hái有yǒu香xiāng蕉jiāo。.
chú​le píng​guǒ yǐ​wài, tā​men hái​yǒu xiāng​jiāo.
Besides apples, they also have bananas.

都 (dōu) – all

Pairing 除chú了le......以yǐ外wài with 都dōu means “all”, for example:

除chú了le他tā以yǐ外wài，,大dà家jiā都dōu去qù。.
chú​le tā yǐ​wài, dà​jiā dōu qù.
Besides him, everyone went.

除chú了le他tā以yǐ外wài，,大dà家jiā都dōu准zhǔn备bèi好hǎo了le。.
chú​le tā yǐ​wài, dà​jiā dōu zhǔn​bèi hǎo le.
Besides him, everyone (all) was ready.

除chú了le他tā以yǐ外wài，,我wǒ们men都dōu去qù了le。.
chú​le tā yǐ​wài, wǒ​men dōu qù le.
Besides him, everyone (all) went.

Summary

The 除chú了le......以yǐ外wài is a very common structure in Chinese, and one that is worth practising and trying to incorporate in your everyday speech so you become familiar with it.