不仅...而且 (not only... but also)

• Pinyin: bùjǐn...érqiě
• Formation: Subject + 不仅 + A，而且 + B
• Hanzi breakdown: 仅 = 亻(person) + 又 (again) — merely; 而 = and/but; 且 = moreover

Meaning

The paired conjunction 不仅...而且... (bùjǐn...érqiě...) expresses a progressive or additive relationship, meaning 'not only... but also.' It indicates that something has two or more noteworthy qualities, with the second point often carrying greater weight or importance.

This construction creates an escalating emphasis where the clause after 而且 typically presents the more significant, surprising, or impressive point. While 不仅 can be replaced by synonyms like 不但 or 不光, 而且 can be substituted with 还, 也, 并且, or 甚至. The most formal pairing is 不仅...而且..., while 不光...还... is the most colloquial. When both clauses share the same subject, 不仅 usually comes after the subject; when the subjects differ, 不仅 comes before the first subject. This word order rule is a common source of errors for learners. The pattern can be extended to three or more points using 不仅...而且...还..., though this is less common in natural speech.

Examples

1. 她不仅会说英语，而且还精通法语和德语。 She not only speaks English but is also fluent in French and German.
2. 这款手机不仅外观好看，而且性能也非常强大。 This phone not only looks great but also has very powerful performance.
3. 他不仅学习成绩优秀，而且在体育方面也很突出。 He not only excels academically but also stands out in sports.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, formal, everyday

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 他不仅是一位优秀的工程师，而且还是一位出色的管理者。
• 学外语不仅能拓宽视野，而且对求职也有很大帮助。
• 这次改革不仅提高了效率，而且降低了运营成本。
• 她不仅自己努力学习，而且还经常帮助同学解决问题。

Don't Say

• 不仅他喜欢唱歌，而且他喜欢跳舞。(When both clauses share the same subject, 不仅 should come after the subject: 他不仅...而且...) → 他不仅喜欢唱歌，而且还喜欢跳舞。
• 他不仅喜欢唱歌，而且不喜欢跳舞。(The clause after 而且 should add or escalate, not contradict — use 但是 for contrast instead) → 他喜欢唱歌，但是不喜欢跳舞。
• 不仅这本书很有趣。(不仅 requires a matching 而且 clause — it cannot be used alone without a corresponding connector) → 这本书不仅有趣，而且很有启发性。

Origin & History

The word 不仅 combines the negation 不 with 仅 (merely/only), literally meaning 'not merely.' Paired with the additive conjunction 而且 (moreover/and also), this construction has been a staple of Chinese rhetoric for expressing escalating emphasis since the classical period.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal