Expressing "not only... but also" with "budan... erqie..."

"不但⋯⋯，而且⋯⋯" (bùdàn..., érqiě...) is a very commonly used pattern that indicates "not only, ... but also...."

Used with One Subject

Structure

Subj. + 不但 + Adj. / Verb， 而且 + Adj. / Verb

The same subject should apply to both the first part and the second part (the part after 而且).

The pattern can also be used omitting 而且, and instead using adverbs like 也 and 还 in its place.

Examples

• 这 道 菜 不但 好看 ，而且 好吃 。Zhè dào cài bùdàn hǎokàn, érqiě hǎochī.This dish is not only good-looking, but delicious as well.
• 这个 东西 不但 贵 ，而且 难 买 。Zhège dōngxi bùdàn guì, érqiě nán mǎi .This thing is not only expensive, but hard to buy.
• 她 不但 聪明 ，而且 很 幽默 。Tā bùdàn cōngming, érqiě hěn yōumò.She is not only smart, but also very humorous.
• 她 不但 离开 了 我 ，而且 拿走 了 我 所有 的 钱 。Tā bùdàn líkāi le wǒ, érqiě názǒu le wǒ suǒyǒu de qián.Not only did she leave me, but she took all my money.
• 他 不但 提前 做 完 了 ，而且 做 得 非常 好 。Tā bùdàn tíqián zuò wán le, érqiě zuò de hěn hǎo.Not only did he finish in advance, but he did it well.

Used with Two Different Subjects

When there is only one subject with 不但⋯⋯而且⋯⋯, the subject has to come at the beginning of the sentence, before both 不但 and 而且. When using two different subjects, however, you need to put one after 不但 and one after 而且.

Structure

不但 + Subj. 1 + Adj. / Verb， 而且 + Subj. 2 + Adj. / Verb

Examples

• 不但 我 妈妈 会 说 英语 ，而且 我 奶奶 也 会 说 几 句 。Bùdàn wǒ māma huì shuō Yīngyǔ, érqiě wǒ nǎinai yě huì shuō jǐ jù.Not only can my mother speak English, but my grandma can speak a little.
• 不但 公司 总经理 要 参加 ，而且 也 会 说 几 句 。

See also

• Many types of "not only… but also…"
• "Not only… but also" with "bujin"
• "In addition" as "lingwai"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (pp. 22) →buy
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 253) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 219) →buy

Websites

• Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Usage of 而