Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not… but…" with "er shi""
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| − | * | + | *我 觉得 这 <em>不 是</em> 麻烦，<em>而 是</em> 机会 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde zhè <em>bùshì</em> máfan, <em>érshì</em> jīhuì.</span><span class="trans">I don't think it's a hassle. I think it's an opportunity.</span> |
| − | *她 <em> | + | *她 <em>不 是</em> 不 想 买 ，<em>而 是</em> 买不起 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù shì</em> bù xiǎng mǎi, <em>ér shì</em> mǎi bu qǐ.</span><span class="trans">It's not that she doesn't want to buy it, it's that she can't afford it.</span> |
| − | *我 没 说 <em> | + | *我 没 说 <em>不 是</em> 想 骗 你 ，<em>而 是</em> 怕 你 不 高兴 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ méi shuō <em>bù shì</em> xiǎng piàn nǐ, <em>ér shì</em> pà nǐ bù gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">The reason I didn't tell you isn't that I wanted to lie to you; it's that I was afraid you would be upset.</span> |
| − | *我 <em> | + | *我 <em>不 是</em> 八卦 ，<em>是</em> 关心 你 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù shì</em> bāguà, <em>shì</em> guānxīn nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I'm not gossiping. I'm concerned about you.</span> |
| − | *我 <em>不 是</em> 不 想 帮 你 ，<em> | + | *我 <em>不 是</em> 不 想 帮 你 ，<em>而 是</em> 没有 能力 帮 你 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù shì</em> bù xiǎng bāng nǐ, <em>ér shì</em> méiyǒu nénglì bāng nǐ.</span><span class="trans">It's not that I don't want to help you, it's that I have no ability to help you.</span> |
| − | *重要 的 <em>不是</em> 你 的 外表 ，<em>而是</em> 你 的 内心 。<span class="pinyin">Zhòngyào de <em>bù shì</em> nǐ de wàibiǎo, <em>ér shì</em> nǐ de nèixīn.</span><span class="trans">What's important is not how you look outside, | + | *重要 的 <em>不是</em> 你 的 外表 ，<em>而是</em> 你 的 内心 。<span class="pinyin">Zhòngyào de <em>bù shì</em> nǐ de wàibiǎo, <em>ér shì</em> nǐ de nèixīn.</span><span class="trans">What's important is not how you look on the outside, but rather what's on the inside.</span> |
| − | *生活 中 <em>不是</em> 缺少 美 ，<em>而是</em> 缺少 发现 美 的 眼睛 。<span class="pinyin">Shēnghuó zhōng <em>bù shì</em> quēshǎo měi, <em>ér shì</em> quēshǎo fāxiàn měi de yǎnjing.</span><span class="trans"> | + | *生活 中 <em>不是</em> 缺少 美 ，<em>而是</em> 缺少 发现 美 的 眼睛 。<span class="pinyin">Shēnghuó zhōng <em>bù shì</em> quēshǎo měi, <em>ér shì</em> quēshǎo fāxiàn měi de yǎnjing.</span><span class="trans">It's not that life is lacking in beauty, but rather that we lack eyes that discover it.</span> |
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*我们 <em>是</em> 来 办事 的 ，<em>不是</em> 来 玩 的 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>shì</em> lái bànshì de, <em>bù shì</em> lái wán de.</span><span class="trans">We're here to do our job, not to have fun.</span> | *我们 <em>是</em> 来 办事 的 ，<em>不是</em> 来 玩 的 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>shì</em> lái bànshì de, <em>bù shì</em> lái wán de.</span><span class="trans">We're here to do our job, not to have fun.</span> | ||
| − | *你 这样 做 <em>是</em> 害 他 ，<em>不是</em> 帮 他 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhèyàng zuò <em>shì</em> hài tā, <em>bù shì</em> bāng tā.</span><span class="trans"> | + | *你 这样 做 <em>是</em> 害 他 ，<em>不是</em> 帮 他 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhèyàng zuò <em>shì</em> hài tā, <em>bù shì</em> bāng tā.</span><span class="trans">By doing this you were hurting him, not helping him.</span> |
| − | *不好意思 ，我 <em>是</em> 不 小心 ，<em>不是</em> 故意 的 。<span class="pinyin">Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ <em>shì</em> bù xiǎoxīn, <em>bù shì</em> gùyì de.</span><span class="trans">I'm sorry. It was an | + | *不好意思 ，我 <em>是</em> 不 小心 ，<em>不是</em> 故意 的 。<span class="pinyin">Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ <em>shì</em> bù xiǎoxīn, <em>bù shì</em> gùyì de.</span><span class="trans">I'm sorry. It was an accident. It wasn't on purpose.</span> |
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Revision as of 15:14, 22 October 2018
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Keywords
Sometimes you want to explain that an object, concept, or event isn't one thing, but in fact a different thing. 不是⋯⋯, (而)是⋯⋯ (bùshì..., (ér)shì...) is the perfect structure to convey that in Chinese. This is a useful phrase to use in arguments to overturn a point of view and state the opposite.
Structure
An easy way to remember this pattern is that it roughly corresponds to the English, "Something is not X, it's Y."
Subj. + 不是⋯⋯ ，(而)是⋯⋯
Examples
- 我 觉得 这 不 是 麻烦，而 是 机会 。I don't think it's a hassle. I think it's an opportunity.
- 她 不 是 不 想 买 ，而 是 买不起 。It's not that she doesn't want to buy it, it's that she can't afford it.
- 我 没 说 不 是 想 骗 你 ，而 是 怕 你 不 高兴 。The reason I didn't tell you isn't that I wanted to lie to you; it's that I was afraid you would be upset.
- 我 不 是 八卦 ，是 关心 你 。I'm not gossiping. I'm concerned about you.
- 我 不 是 不 想 帮 你 ，而 是 没有 能力 帮 你 。It's not that I don't want to help you, it's that I have no ability to help you.
- 重要 的 不是 你 的 外表 ，而是 你 的 内心 。What's important is not how you look on the outside, but rather what's on the inside.
- 生活 中 不是 缺少 美 ，而是 缺少 发现 美 的 眼睛 。It's not that life is lacking in beauty, but rather that we lack eyes that discover it.
You can also put 不是 in the second half. Note that 而 can't be used in this case.
Subj. + 是⋯⋯ ，不是⋯⋯
Some examples:
- 我们 是 来 办事 的 ，不是 来 玩 的 。We're here to do our job, not to have fun.
- 你 这样 做 是 害 他 ，不是 帮 他 。By doing this you were hurting him, not helping him.
- 不好意思 ，我 是 不 小心 ，不是 故意 的 。I'm sorry. It was an accident. It wasn't on purpose.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 277) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 20) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册） (pp. 516) [ →buy]
