×是×，就是/不过… — “it is …, but …”
Pattern: A 是 A，就是/不过 …
Repeating a word around 是 admits a point, and 就是 or 不过 then adds the catch: 这个房子便宜是便宜，就是离公司太远 “this flat is cheap all right, it’s just too far from work”.
Examples
| 1 | 这个房子便宜是便宜，就是离公司太远。 zhège fángzi piányi shì piányi jiùshì lí gōngsī tài yuǎn The flat is cheap all right, it’s just too far from work. |
| 2 | 汉语难是难，不过很有意思。 Hànyǔ nán shì nán búguò hěn yǒuyìsi Chinese is hard, sure, but it’s very interesting. |
| 3 | 我想是想，就是没有钱。 wǒ xiǎng shì xiǎng jiùshì méiyǒu qián I do want to, I just don’t have the money. |
Explanations and examples by Zitou. Pinyin added automatically and checked.