Ch 30 · Lesson 8Mandarin · Chapter 30 · Lesson 8 · Grammar primer
不但...而且: not only, but also
，. The second half needs , or , and sits after one shared subject but before two different ones.
The short version
，。Zhè jiā fànguǎn búdàn piányi, érqiě hěn hǎochī.
Why?Hide
(búdàn), 'not only', opens a frame, and the second half must close it with (érqiě), (hái) or (yě). Leave it bare and the sentence sounds unfinished. (érqiě) is the safe default, and it can also stand alone, with nothing before it.
，。Búdàn wǒ qù, wǒ mèimei yě qù.
Why?Hide
With one subject for both halves, (búdàn) goes after it: (wǒ búdàn qù le), (érqiě qù de hěn zǎo). With two different subjects, it goes in front of the first, and (yě) marks the new one.
The whole system on one screen
The colours stay the same all page long:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
，。 | Zhè jiā fànguǎn búdàn piányi, érqiě hěn hǎochī. | This restaurant isn't just cheap, it's good |
，。 | Tā búdàn huì shuō Zhōngwén, hái huì xiě. | He can speak Chinese, and write it too |
，。 | Búdàn wǒ qù, wǒ mèimei yě qù. | Not only am I going, my sister is too |
雨，。 | Yǔ búdàn méi tíng, fǎn'ér yuè xià yuè dà. | Far from stopping, the rain got heavier |
(búdàn) opens, the second half closes. With a negative inside, (fǎn'ér) turns the sentence round.
不但 (búdàn) needs a second half
English can say "he not only speaks Chinese, he writes it beautifully" and mark nothing in the second clause. Mandarin marks it:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
，。 | Tā búdàn huì shuō Zhōngwén, érqiě xiě de hěn hǎo. | He not only speaks Chinese, he writes it well |
，。 | Zhè jiā fànguǎn búdàn piányi, hái hěn hǎochī. | This restaurant is cheap, and good too |
，。 | Búdàn wǒ xǐhuan, wǒ māma yě xǐhuan. | Not only do I like it, my mum does too |
Leave the second half bare, ，。, and it sounds like a sentence that stopped halfway. The reverse is fine: (érqiě) needs no in front of it, so ，。 (Tā huì shuō Zhōngwén, érqiě xiě de hěn hǎo.) stands on its own.
and (hái) can stack, which is common in speech: ，。 (Zhè jiā fànguǎn búdàn piányi, érqiě hái hěn hǎochī.), cheap, and good on top of that.
Where 不但 (búdàn) sits: one subject or two
(búdàn) covers what stands to its right. One subject for both halves: it goes after the subject. Two different subjects: it goes in front of the first, so that the person is inside the frame:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
，。 | Wǒ búdàn qù le, érqiě qù de hěn zǎo. | One subject: I went, and I went early |
，。 | Tā búdàn cōngming, érqiě hěn nǔlì. | One subject: she's clever and hard-working |
，。 | Búdàn wǒ qù le, wǒ mèimei yě qù le. | Two subjects: my sister went as well |
，。 | Búdàn cài hǎochī, fúwù yě hěn hǎo. | Two subjects: the service is good too |
That is the standard order, and the one exams expect. With two subjects, keep to it: (búdàn) after the first subject, as in ， (tā búdàn huì shuō Zhōngwén, tā mèimei yě huì), sounds off. With one subject you will sometimes hear (búdàn) in front of it in speech; after the subject is the safe place.
而且 (érqiě), 还 (hái) or 也 (yě)?
All of them close the frame. They sit in different places and feel different:
| Partner | Pinyin | Where it goes | Feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| érqiě | opens the second clause | neutral: the safe default | |
| hái | before the verb, same subject | spoken: "on top of that" | |
| yě | before the verb | "as well", often a new subject | |
| bìngqiě | opens the second clause | written and formal |
Unsure? Use (érqiě): it works with one subject or two, in speech or in writing. For somebody new in the second half, (yě) is the natural word, as in ， above.
The pairs also sort themselves by register:
- 不但…还 búdàn… hái
- 不但…而且 búdàn… érqiě
- 不仅…而且 bùjǐn… érqiě
- 不仅…并且 bùjǐn… bìngqiě
Going further: 不仅 (bùjǐn): the written twin and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
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