不仅...，还...
Reach for this when you want to say 'not only X, but also Y' in a writerly or formal way — escalating the scope of an event or quality. 不仅 sets up the baseline, 还 adds another layer on top. Use it in essays, news writing, and serious commentary when 不但...而且... feels too plain. It's the connector reporters use when they want to convey 'and there's more,' especially when the Y is bigger or more consequential than the X.
Structure
[SUBJECT] 不仅 [FACT A] , 还 [FACT B]
bùjǐn... hái...
How to Think About It
不仅...还... is the upmarket cousin of 不但...而且... — same job, more formal register. 不仅 is the bookish form of 不但 ('not only'); 还 is the casual form of 而且 ('also'). Mixing them gives you a balanced register that's common in journalism: serious-sounding setup, conversational followthrough. The Y clause usually carries the heavier punch — that's why journalists love this pattern for building toward consequences.
Examples
这件事不仅引起了公众关注, 还推动了相关法律的修改。
Zhè jiàn shì bùjǐn yǐnqǐ le gōngzhòng guānzhù, hái tuīdòng le xiāngguān fǎlǜ de xiūgǎi.
This matter not only drew public attention, but also pushed for revisions to related laws.
她不仅会三种语言, 还在写一本小说。
Tā bùjǐn huì sān zhǒng yǔyán, hái zài xiě yì běn xiǎoshuō.
She not only speaks three languages, but is also writing a novel.
这家公司不仅产品质量好, 服务还非常周到。
Zhè jiā gōngsī bùjǐn chǎnpǐn zhìliàng hǎo, fúwù hái fēicháng zhōudào.
This company not only has great products, the service is also very attentive.
Common Mistake
Learners drop 还 in the second clause because they treat 不仅 as a standalone 'not only.' But the construction is a pair — 还 (or 也, 而且) must mark the second clause, or the addition reads as disconnected. Without the marker, the sentence sounds amputated.
他不仅是医生, 是作家。
他不仅是医生, 还是作家。
Don't Confuse With
不但...而且...
Same meaning, slightly less formal. 不但 is spoken-friendly; 不仅 leans bookish. In essays and news writing, 不仅 sounds more polished.
不仅...也...
Pair 不仅 with 也 instead of 还 when the second clause sticks more closely in parallel ('not only A also B,' two similar items). 还 lets the second clause feel like an escalation; 也 keeps them at the same level.
不只...还...
不只 is a more colloquial variant of 不仅, with the same partner 还. The difference is fine; 不仅 is slightly more formal/written, 不只 slightly more conversational.
Practice
他 ___ 是个好老师, 还是个优秀的作家。
Show answer
不仅
这次活动不仅有意义, ___ 很有趣。
Show answer
还
Put in order: [不仅 / 美 / 这个 / 还 / 风景 / 安静 / 地方 / 很]
Show answer
这个地方不仅风景美, 还很安静。
Translate to Chinese: 'This policy not only affects companies, it also affects ordinary consumers.'
Show answer
这项政策不仅影响企业, 还影响普通消费者。
Write one sentence in formal register using 不仅...还... about an event or policy in the news.
Show answer
Example answer: 这次大会不仅展示了行业最新技术, 还为中小企业提供了合作机会。 (This conference not only showcased the latest industry technology, but also offered cooperation opportunities for small and medium-sized companies.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 不仅...，还... 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, no card.