Expressing "not… but…" with "er shi"
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"不是..., 是..." (búshì..., shì...) is used to clarify something about a certain noun. What's being clarified can range from adjectives, verbs and even noun phrases.
The basic structure:
Subject + 不是 + Adjective/Noun/Verb #1 + 是 + Adjective/Noun/Verb #2
An easy way to remember this pattern is that it roughly corresponds to the English, "Something is not X, it's Y".
Here are some more examples to help make this pattern clear.
- 那不是一个问题，是一个机会。
- 他不是中国人，是美国人。
- 那条虫子不是死了，是还或者的！
Sources and further reading
SOURCES NEEDED
