除了 (chúle) — except / besides / in addition to

除了 (chúle)

除了 is a preposition with two contrasting functions. With 以外/之外 and a negative, it means "except" (excluding something from a group). With 以外/之外 and 还/也, it means "besides / in addition to" (adding something extra). Recognizing which pattern is used is key to understanding the meaning.

Meanings

1. [preposition] Except; apart from; excluding (paired with negatives like 不/没).
2. [preposition] Besides; in addition to; other than (paired with 还 or 也).

Example Sentences

除了他，大家都来了。 Chúle tā, dàjiā dōu lái le. Except for him, everyone came.

除了汉语，她还会说英语和法语。 Chúle Hànyǔ, tā hái huì shuō Yīngyǔ hé Fǎyǔ. Besides Chinese, she can also speak English and French.

除了周末，他每天都要上班。 Chúle zhōumò, tā měitiān dōu yào shàngbān. Except on weekends, he goes to work every day.

除了努力学习，你还需要注意休息。 Chúle nǔlì xuéxí, nǐ hái xūyào zhùyì xiūxi. In addition to studying hard, you also need to make sure to rest.

Collocations

Memory Hook

除 means "to remove / exclude." 了 is a completion marker. 除了 = "having removed it" — you set something aside from the rest. Then decide: are you leaving it out (except) or noting the extras (besides)?