Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not… but…" with "er shi""

 
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#REDIRECT[[Using "er" to explain contrasting ideas]]
 
 
Sometimes you want to explain that an object, concept, or event isn't one thing, but in fact a different thing. This is the perfect structure to convey that in Chinese.
 
 
 
== Structure ==
 
 
 
"不是⋯⋯, (就)是⋯⋯" (búshì..., (jiù)shì...) is used to clarify something about a certain noun. What's being clarified can range from adjectives, verbs and even noun phrases.
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
 
Subj. +  不是 + Adj./Noun/Verb 1 + 是 + Adj./Noun/Verb 2
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
An easy way to remember this pattern is that it roughly corresponds to the English, "Something is not X, it's Y".
 
 
 
== Examples ==
 
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
 
*那 <em>不是</em> 一 个 困难,<em>是</em> 一 个 机会。<span class="trans">That isn't a difficulty, it's an opportunity.</span>
 
*他 <em>不是</em> 中国人,<em>是</em> 美国人。<span class="trans">He isn't Chinese, he's American.</span>
 
*这 个 大楼 <em>不是</em> 公寓,<em>是</em> 办公楼。<span class="trans">This building isn't an apartment building, it's an office building.</span>
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
==See also==
 
*[["Not⋯⋯ but rather⋯⋯" with "er shi"]]
 
*[["On the contrary" with "fan'er"]]
 
 
 
== Sources  and further reading ==
 
 
 
===Books===
 
 
 
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (p. 277) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]
 
 
 
 
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
{{Basic Grammar|不是|B1|不是⋯⋯ 是⋯⋯|<em>不 是</em> 问题,<em>是</em> 机会。|grammar point|ASGT9WYR}}
 
{{Rel char|是}}
 
{{Rel char|不}}
 
{{Similar|"On the Contrary" with "fan'er"}}
 
{{Similar|"Not... But Rather..." with "er shi"}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
 
{{Used for|Contrasting}}
 
{{Used for|Differentiating}}
 
{{Translation|not}}
 

Latest revision as of 02:54, 26 October 2018