又…又…: both X and Y
Structure: 又 + Adj/VP₁ + 又 + Adj/VP₂
Meaning: BOTH X AND Y at the same time (two simultaneous qualities or ongoing actions).
Pattern 1 — Two adjectives:
> 这道菜又好吃又便宜。(This dish is both delicious and cheap.)
Pattern 2 — Two verb phrases:
> 她又唱歌又跳舞。(She both sings and dances.)
Pattern 3 — Negative:
> 他做事又慢又不认真。(He works both slowly and carelessly.)
Constraint: The two elements must be PARALLEL (both adj, both VP, or both negative).
Compare:
- 既…又… = similar, but slightly more formal/literary
- 一边…一边… = doing two ongoing actions simultaneously
- 不但…而且… = not only X but also Y (additive, stronger)
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 今天的天气又热又湿，出门真的很不舒服。 | Jīn tiān de tiān qì yòu rè yòu shī, chū mén zhēn de hěn bù shū fu. | Today's weather is both hot and humid — going out is really uncomfortable. | Two parallel adjectives: 又热 + 又湿 (hot and humid simultaneously) |
| 他的孩子又聪明又勤奋，学什么都学得很快。 | Tā de hái zi yòu cōng ming yòu qín fèn, xué shén me dōu xué de hěn kuài. | His child is both smart and hardworking — learns everything quickly. | Two positive adjectives. 勤奋 = hardworking/diligent. The comment (学什么都学得很快) supports the evaluation. |
| 这家店的服务又差又贵，以后我不去了。 | Zhè jiā diàn de fú wù yòu chà yòu guì, yǐ hòu wǒ bú qù le. | This store's service is both bad and expensive — I won't go anymore. | Two negative adjectives: 又差 + 又贵. 以后不…了 = won't… anymore. |
What this opens up
These patterns list 又…又… among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.
又…又… 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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