Using 和 (hé) to Connect Words and Phrases in HSK 1

What 和 (hé) Does as a Conjunction

In the HSK 1 grammar outline, the item labeled 和2 refers specifically to using 和 (hé) as a coordinating conjunction to link words or phrases. In the outline's numbering convention, this distinguishes the conjunction from its related preposition entry (often translated as 'with'). As a conjunction, 和 places two items on equal grammatical footing, showing that both participate in the same role in the sentence.

At the beginner level, you will rely on 和 almost every time you want to combine two people, places, or things into a single subject or a single object.

Connecting Nouns, Pronouns, and Noun Phrases

The most natural way to use 和 is to place it directly between two nouns, pronouns, or fuller noun phrases (such as a number, measure word, and noun). You do not change the word order of the surrounding sentence; the combined pair simply acts as one unit.

When your list contains three or more items, Chinese does not repeat 和 between every word. Instead, use the special Chinese enumeration comma (、) between the earlier items, and place 和 only before the final item. Notice that in standard Chinese punctuation, no comma is placed immediately before 和.

Can 和 Connect Verbs or Short Phrases?

Many learners hear a simplified rule that 和 can never sit between verbs. While it is true that you cannot use 和 to narrate a sequence of separate events, the syllabus category explicitly covers linking words or phrases. In Chinese, 和 can coordinate verbs or verb phrases that occupy the same grammatical slot. Sharing an object is one common pattern, not a universal requirement.

Here, listening and speaking are coordinated as two related skills with a shared object, Chinese. Do not copy English and to narrate separate successive events such as going to a shop and then buying fruit. Full verb-object phrases can nevertheless be coordinated inside another constituent, for example as two things someone enjoys; different objects alone do not make 和 impossible.

The Core Limit: Never Join Full Sentences with 和

The biggest difference between English 'and' and Chinese 和 is sentence-level coordination. In English, 'and' freely connects two complete clauses ('My older sister likes tea, and my older brother likes water'). In Chinese, 和 is strictly a word-level and phrase-level connector. Using it to link two full clauses is ungrammatical.

• When two clauses have different subjects doing parallel things, simply join them with a comma and no conjunction.
• When the same subject performs a second additional action, Chinese typically uses an adverb like 也 (yě, also) before the second verb rather than putting 和 between the clauses.
• Save 和 for combining items that sit inside the same grammatical slot (two subjects, two objects, or two modifiers/verbs sharing one target).

Useful Contrast: Conjunction vs. Preposition

Because the syllabus marks this item as 和2, it is helpful to understand how it differs from the prepositional use of 和. When 和 is a conjunction linking two nouns, the order is usually reversible without changing the core truth of who is involved. When 和 acts as a preposition ('with [someone]'), adverbs like 'often', 'also', or 'not' are placed before 和 rather than after the second person. When two noun phrases form a compound subject, 和 links the participants. Adverb placement can help you analyse a sentence, but the absence of an adverb alone does not distinguish coordination from the prepositional meaning “with”; the full structure and context matter.

Frequently asked questions