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 Single 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.
• 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 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 + 也 + 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 孩子们 喜欢 这个 电影 ，而且 大人 也 很 喜欢 。Bùdàn háizi men xǐhuan zhège diànyǐng, érqiě dàren yě hěn xǐhuan.Not only do children like this movie, but the adults like it.
• 不但 员工 压力 大 ，而且 老板 压力 也 大 。Bùdàn yuángōng yālì dà, érqiě lǎobǎn yālì yě dà.Not only are the employees under a lot of pressure, but the boss are under a lot of pressure.
• 老师 发现 ，不但 学生 说谎 ，而且 家长 也 说谎 。Lǎoshī fāxiàn, bùdàn xuéshēng shuōhuǎng, érqiě jiāzhǎng yě shuōhuǎng.The teacher found not only did the student lie, but the parents did.
• 不但 老百姓 害怕 这些 人 ，而且 警察 也 害怕 。Bùdàn lǎobǎixìng hàipà zhèxiē rén, érqiě jǐngchá yě hàipà.Not only do the ordinary people fear these people, but the police fear them.

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) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 253) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 219) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

Websites

• Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Usage of 而