不仅……更……
Reach for 不仅……更…… when one claim already says a lot and the second claim says even more — 'not only X, but even more so Y.' The 更 in the second clause is what makes this different from 不仅……而且……: it explicitly signals that the second point outweighs the first. You'll see this everywhere in essays, opinion pieces, and elevated speech where the writer wants to layer a stronger argument on top of a strong one.
Structure
[SUBJECT] 不仅 [POINT A], 更 [STRONGER POINT B]
bùjǐn... gèng...
How to Think About It
不仅……更…… is a deliberate escalation. The second half must genuinely be more significant, more profound, or more impressive than the first — not just another item in a list. 更 isn't a polite filler here; it does real work, telling the reader 'and here's the bigger truth.' If you can swap in 也 or 还 and lose nothing, you should be using 不仅……也…… instead, because 更 is wasted on a flat second clause.
Examples
她不仅漂亮，更聪明。
Tā bùjǐn piàoliang, gèng cōngmíng.
Not only is she beautiful, but even more, she's smart.
这本书不仅有趣，更让人深思。
Zhè běn shū bùjǐn yǒuqù, gèng ràng rén shēnsī.
This book isn't just entertaining; it's even more thought-provoking.
这次旅行不仅放松了身体，更让我重新认识了自己。
Zhè cì lǚxíng bùjǐn fàngsōng le shēntǐ, gèng ràng wǒ chóngxīn rènshi le zìjǐ.
This trip not only relaxed me physically, even more importantly, it let me rediscover myself.
这本书不仅是一本小说，更是一面镜子。
Zhè běn shū bùjǐn shì yì běn xiǎoshuō, gèng shì yí miàn jìngzi.
This book isn't just a novel — it's a mirror.
他不仅是我的老师，更是我的朋友。
Tā bùjǐn shì wǒ de lǎoshī, gèng shì wǒ de péngyou.
He's not only my teacher — he's my friend.
这场比赛不仅是体育，更是文化的交流。
Zhè chǎng bǐsài bùjǐn shì tǐyù, gèng shì wénhuà de jiāoliú.
This match isn't just sport — it's a cultural exchange.
Common Mistake
Learners pair 不仅 with 也 or 还 when they mean simple addition, but then use 更 for parallel items where no escalation exists. 更 specifically marks that B exceeds A — use it only when B is the heavier point.
他不仅会说英语，更会说一点法语。
他不仅会说英语，还会说一点法语。
Don't Confuse With
不仅……而且……
不仅……而且…… adds a second related fact without ranking it. 不仅……更…… insists B is the bigger deal.
不但……反而……
反而 introduces an unexpected, contradicting outcome. 更 introduces an expected escalation in the same direction.
不仅……也……
也 is the neutral 'also' — flat addition, no ranking. Pick 更 only when you want to elevate the second clause above the first.
不仅...而且...
Plain addition ('not only A, but also B'). Use when both halves are on the same level. 不仅...更是... when the second half is a higher claim.
不但...反而...
反而 introduces an unexpected opposite ('on the contrary'). 更是 escalates in the same direction. Don't confuse 'instead' with 'even more so.'
Practice
Fill in the blank: 他___仅是一位老师，更是一位朋友。
Show answer
不
Fill in the blank: 这件事不仅影响他自己，___影响整个家庭。
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更
Arrange: 不仅 / 更 / 影响 / 健康 / 这件事 / 心情 / 影响
Show answer
这件事不仅影响心情，更影响健康。
Translate to Chinese: She's not just a singer; even more, she's a true artist.
Show answer
她不仅是一个歌手，更是一位真正的艺术家。
Write a sentence with 不仅……更…… about why you value something deeply.
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学中文不仅让我能交朋友，更让我看到了一个新的世界。
音乐 ___ 一种艺术，更是一种语言。
Show answer
不仅是
他不仅是工程师，___ 一位作家。
Show answer
更是
Arrange: 不仅是 / 更是 / 学校 / 一个 / 一个 / 这里 / 家
Show answer
这里不仅是一个学校，更是一个家。
Cooking isn't just a skill — it's an expression of love.
Show answer
做饭不仅是一种技能，更是一种爱的表达。
Use 不仅...更是... to describe something or someone important to you.
Show answer
中文不仅是一门语言，更是一扇通往新世界的门。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 10 Fluentide episodes. Press play to hear the sentence:
当然，奥斯卡从来不仅仅是演员的较量，更是电影工业技艺的巅峰对决。
Of course, the Oscars are never just a contest of actors, but a peak duel of film industrial craftsmanship.
Sinners Faces One Battle After Another at OscarsAdvanced
很多去过那里的人都说，这不仅仅是一顿饭，更像是一场表演。
Many people who have been there say that this is not just a meal, but more like a performance.
Baoding Restaurant Lets Diners Eat Over FishIntermediate
说到2026年冬奥会上最引人注目的面孔，谷爱凌的名字依然占据着舆论风暴的中心，这不仅是因为她在赛场上的表现，更因为她身上所承载的复杂而迷人的文化隐喻。
Speaking of the most eye-catching face at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Eileen Gu's name still occupies the center of the media storm — not only because of her performance on the competition field, but because of the complex and fascinating cultural metaphor she embodies.
Eileen Gu Heads to Milan OlympicsAdvanced
法庭在量刑时特别指出，尹锡悦的行为不仅严重损害了国家的宪政秩序，更对国民的心理造成了不可弥补的创伤。
The court specifically pointed out during sentencing that Yoon Suk-yeol's actions not only seriously damaged the country's constitutional order but also caused irreparable trauma to the psychology of the nationals.
Yoon Suk-yeol Sentenced to Life for InsurrectionAdvanced
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 不仅……更…… in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this pattern shows up again and again in real context. The transcript marks it, the audio drills it. Free to start.