在現代漢語中，「雖然」與「儘管」多半被認為是二個完全同義的虛詞。本文藉助對「雖然」和「儘管」語法化的研究結果，論證「雖然」和「儘管」在語用上的細微差異。完整的「雖然」與「儘管」句式包含主要子句與從屬子句，主要子句為說寫人所要聲言之事實或結論，從屬子句即含有「雖然」或「儘管」之子句，為主要子句所表達之命題的背景信息。當說寫人對背景信息、存有預設，而該預設與主要子句的命題對立或相反時，為了令兩個互相對立之事實的推論關係明確化，說寫人用「雖然」將預設加以背景化表達出來。當說寫人認為某一客觀事實為條件，且應作為所要聲言之事實的重要背景信息，則用「儘管」將該客觀事實條件化與背景化。

Both ”suiran” and ”jinguan” are commonly considered synonymous functions words in modem Mandarin Chinese. The researcher of this pragmatics study argues that ”suiran” and ”jinguan” are slightly different from each other as a result of grammaticalization. The subordinate clause beginning with ”suiran” or ”jinguan” expresses background information, while the main clause expresses the fact or conclusion the language user intends to assert. When the speaker or writer takes a presumption of the background information in mind and the presumption is contrary to the proposition of the main clause, ”suiran” is used to set the presumption as background information and express the contrast between the presumption and conclusion by inference. If the speaker or writer considers an objective fact as a condition and important background information of an assertion, he/she uses ”jinguan” to indicate that fact.