Progressive Compound Sentences: 不但…而且
不但…而且… (búdàn…érqiě…) joins two clauses in which the second adds a stronger point, meaning 'not only X but also Y'. With one subject, it stands before the first verb or adjective.
Same subject: Subject + 不但 + Adj/Verb1, 而且 + (也/还) + Adj/Verb2
他不但聪明，而且很努力。(He's not only smart, but also hardworking.)
Different subjects: 不但 + Subject1 + ..., 而且 + Subject2 + 也...
不但我喜欢这个菜，而且我朋友也喜欢。(Not only do I like this dish, but my friend does too.)
Common mistake: the second clause should ADD something bigger/more — don't use 但是 (contrast) where 而且 (addition) is meant.
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 这个菜不但好吃，而且便宜。 | Zhège cài bùdàn hǎochī, érqiě piányi. | This dish is not only tasty, but also cheap. | Minimal frame, same subject, adjective+adjective. |
| 他不但会说英语，而且还会说法语。 | Tā bùdàn huì shuō Yīngyǔ, érqiě hái huì shuō Fǎyǔ. | He can not only speak English, but also French. | Verb phrases instead of adjectives; adds 还 in the second clause for emphasis. |
| 不但我喜欢这个老师，而且班里的同学也都喜欢他。 | Bùdàn wǒ xǐhuan zhège lǎoshī, érqiě bān lǐ de tóngxué yě dōu xǐhuan tā. | Not only do I like this teacher, but the classmates in the class all like him too. | Different subjects in each clause — 不但 moves before the first subject, and 也 appears in the second clause. |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
不但…而且 (bú dàn…ér qiě)
Adds a second, stronger point to the first.
Structure: 不但 + A, 而且 + B
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 她不但聪明，而且很努力。 | Tā bú dàn cōng ming, ér qiě hěn nǔ lì. | She is not only clever but also hard-working. |
| 这个手机不但便宜，而且很好用。 | Zhè gè shǒu jī bú dàn pián yi, ér qiě hěn hǎo yòng. | This phone is not only cheap but also works well. |
| 周末我不但要洗衣服，而且要打扫房间。 | Zhōu mò wǒ bú dàn yào xǐ yī fu, ér qiě yào dǎ sǎo fáng jiān. | At the weekend I have to wash clothes and also clean the room. |
Not: 他不但很高，但是很帅。 The second half is 而且, which adds; 但是 turns against.
不但…而且 is also explained in: 不但…而且…: not only…but also (HSK 4).
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
Questions about Progressive Compound Sentences
What does 递进复句 (Progressive Compound Sentences) mean in Chinese?
不但…而且… (búdàn…érqiě…) joins two clauses in which the second adds a stronger point, meaning 'not only X but also Y'. With one subject, it stands before the first verb or adjective. It is an HSK 2 grammar point.
How do you use 递进复句 (Progressive Compound Sentences) in a sentence?
这个菜不但好吃，而且便宜。 — Zhège cài bùdàn hǎochī, érqiě piányi. — This dish is not only tasty, but also cheap. Minimal frame, same subject, adjective+adjective.
What do you need to know before 递进复句 (Progressive Compound Sentences)?
Conjunctions (HSK 2). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
Where does 不但 go when the two halves have different subjects?
Before the subject. Say 不但我喜欢，而且我朋友也喜欢。 If both halves share the subject, 不但 goes after it: 我不但喜欢，而且常常去。
Can I add 还 or 也 after 而且?
Yes. 而且还 and 而且也 both work and add emphasis. For example 她不但是我的老师，而且也是我的朋友。
Progressive Compound Sentences is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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