Kilo Lingo
Mandarin grammar Part of Chapter 32

CEFR B1-B2

4 min read

Test yourself (13 questions)

不是…而是, 不是…就是 and 既然…就 in Mandarin

By Michael McGettrick and Wee Khang LinUpdated 12 October 2026

Three frames that look alike and do different jobs. (búshì)… (érshì) corrects a wrong idea. (búshì)… (jiùshì) says it is one of two things, often as a complaint. (jìrán)… (jiù) starts from a fact you both accept and draws the conclusion. The word after the comma tells you which one you are in.

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Pick the right one

0/3

The English decides. Pick the Mandarin that says it.

  1. He's not a teacher; he's a student.

  2. All he does at weekends is sleep or play games.

  3. The problem isn't money; it's time.

The whole system on one screen

The colours stay the same all page long:

不是 búshì (not this)the second half (but or then)既然 jìrán (since)What do the colours mean?
HanziPinyinEnglish
，。Tā búshì lǎoshī, érshì xuésheng.He's not a teacher but a student
，。Tā búshì shuìjiào, jiùshì dǎ yóuxì.If he isn't sleeping, he's playing games
，。Jìrán nǐ lái le, jiù duō zuò yíhuìr ba.Since you're here, stay a while

Correct, list two options, or conclude: (érshì), (jiùshì) or (jiù) in the second half tells you which.

不是…而是 (búshì… érshì): not this, but that

不是 búshì (not this)the second half (but or then)What do the colours mean?

Deny the first thing, then put the right one in its place. A and B are the same kind of thing: two nouns, two verbs, two reasons. A comma before (érshì) is usual.

HanziPinyinEnglish
，。Tā búshì lǎoshī, érshì xuésheng.He's not a teacher but a student
，。Wèntí búshì qián, érshì shíjiān.The problem isn't money but time
，。Wǒ búshì bù xiǎng bāng nǐ, érshì zhēnde méi kòng.It's not that I won't help; I've no time

The last row is the frame's favourite job: …， (búshì bù xiǎng…, érshì), "it's not that I don't want to, it's that…". It is how Mandarin turns down a request politely.

or plain ? (érshì) gives the correction weight and suits writing. In conversation, ，。 (Tā búshì lǎoshī, shì xuésheng.) is just as correct and lighter. What does not work is (dànshì): it means "however", and it cannot answer (búshì).

不是…就是 (búshì… jiùshì): if not this, then that

不是 búshì (not this)the second half (but or then)What do the colours mean?

Here nothing is corrected. The frame says it is one of two things: if it is not A, it is B. Used about someone's habits, it is a complaint that those two things are all they ever do.

HanziPinyinEnglish
，。Tā búshì shuìjiào, jiùshì dǎ yóuxì.All he does is sleep or play games
，退tuì。Tā búshì chídào, jiùshì zǎotuì.If he isn't late, he leaves early
，。Zhège shíjiān tā búshì zài jiā, jiùshì zài gōngsī.At this hour he's either at home or at work

The last row is not a complaint, just a guess between two places: the frame itself is neutral. The comma before (jiùshì) is optional.

既然 (jìrán)…就 (jiù): since that is the case

the second half (but or then)既然 jìrán (since)What do the colours mean?

(jìrán) opens with a fact both speakers already accept. The second half draws the conclusion, and (jiù) sits in it after the subject, before the verb. That conclusion is usually a suggestion, a decision or a question.

HanziPinyinEnglish
，。Jìrán nǐ lái le, jiù duō zuò yíhuìr ba.Since you're here, stay a while
，。Jìrán nǐ bù xǐhuan, jiù bié mǎi le.Since you don't like it, don't buy it
，。Jìrán dàjiā dōu tóngyì, wǒmen jiù zhème bàn.Since everyone agrees, that's what we'll do
，？Jìrán nǐ zhīdào, wèishénme bù gàosu wǒ?You knew, so why didn't you tell me?

Two things the table cannot show:

  • (jiù) follows the second subject: (wǒmen jiù zhème bàn), never . A question in the second half, like the last row, usually has no .
  • (jìrán) can follow the subject when both clauses share it: ，。 (Nǐ jìrán lái le, jiù duō zuò yíhuìr ba.)

既然 (jìrán) or 因为 (yīnwèi)?

the second half (but or then)既然 jìrán (since)What do the colours mean?

Both translate as "since" or "because", and they do different jobs. (yīnwèi) explains why something happened. (jìrán) takes something both people know and says what follows from it.

Point因为 yīnwèi既然 jìrán
First halfthe cause, often newsa fact both of you accept
Partner word (suǒyǐ) (jiù)
Second halfa result, a reporta suggestion, decision or question
Ordercan come secondusually first
  • ，。 (Yīnwèi xià yǔ, wǒmen zuótiān méi qù.) - We didn't go yesterday because it rained.
  • ，。 (Jìrán xià yǔ le, wǒmen jiù bié qù le.) - Since it's raining, let's not go.

Same rain, two jobs. The first reports what happened and why; the second proposes what to do about it.

Mistakes English speakers make

不是 búshì (not this)the second half (but or then)既然 jìrán (since)What do the colours mean?
WrongRightWhy
，。，。 (dànshì) cannot answer (búshì)
，。，。 (jìrán) pairs with (jiù)
，。，。 (jiù) goes after the subject

Going further

What to do next

  1. Correct three wrong ideas about yourself with …，… (wǒ búshì…, érshì…).
  2. Complain about someone's habits with … (búshì… jiùshì).
  3. Do the drill below until (jìrán) and (yīnwèi) stop looking alike.

Practise: test yourself

Pick the right one

0/4

The English decides. Pick the Mandarin that says it.

  1. He's not a teacher; he's a student.

  2. All he does at weekends is sleep or play games.

  3. The problem isn't money; it's time.

  4. At this hour he's either at home or at work. I'm not sure which.

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

  1. tā bú shì lǎo shī ， dàn shì xué shēng 。

  2. jì rán dà jiā dōu tóng yì ， jiù wǒ men zhè me bàn 。

  3. jì rán xià yǔ le ， suǒ yǐ wǒ men bié qù le 。

Complete the story

0/2

Choose the word for each gap.

A change of plan

朋友说：我不想去了，太远了。我说：你不想去，我们别去了，在家看电影吧。

Gap 1 of 2

Matching

0/4

Match each Mandarin sentence to its meaning. Look at the word after the comma first.

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Frequently asked questions

What does … (búshì… érshì) mean?
'Not X but Y'. It denies one thing and puts the right one in its place: ， (wèntí búshì qián, érshì shíjiān), the problem isn't money but time. In everyday speech X， Y (búshì…, shì…) does the same job more lightly.
What is the difference between … and …?
… (búshì… érshì) corrects: it's not X, it's Y. … (búshì… jiùshì) offers two possibilities: if it's not X, it's Y. ， means he is a student; means he is one or the other and you are not sure which.
What does (jìrán) mean?
'Since' or 'given that'. It opens with a fact both speakers already accept, and the second half, usually with (jiù), draws the conclusion: ， (jìrán nǐ lái le, jiù duō zuò yíhuìr ba), since you're here, stay a while.
What is the difference between (jìrán) and (yīnwèi)?
(yīnwèi) gives the cause of something, often as news, and pairs with (suǒyǐ). (jìrán) starts from a premise the listener already knows and pairs with (jiù); the second half is a suggestion, a decision or a question. does not pair with .
Can I say … for 'not this but that'?
No. English 'not X but Y' tempts learners into (dànshì), but means 'however' and contrasts two true statements. To correct a wrong one, use (érshì) or, in speech, just (shì): ， (tā búshì lǎoshī, shì xuésheng).