不仅...还/也...
Reach for 不仅...还/也... when one thing isn't the whole story — you want to acknowledge what's already obvious and then layer a second, often bigger point on top. It is the slightly formal 'not only X, but also Y' you'll see in news commentary, essays, and business analysis. The second half escalates: it usually pushes further than the first, surprises the reader, or reinforces the same direction. 还 emphasizes addition; 也 emphasizes parallel quality.
Structure
[SUBJECT] 不仅 [POINT 1] ，还/也 [POINT 2]
bùjǐn... hái/yě...
How to Think About It
不仅 sets up an 'and there's more' promise — the listener leans in expecting the second clause to escalate or expand. Without 还 or 也 in the second half, the promise hangs and the sentence feels broken. 还 is the natural choice when point 2 goes BEYOND point 1 in degree or scope; 也 is better when point 2 is a parallel quality of the same subject. Both keep the subject the same across the two clauses.
Examples
他不仅聪明，还很努力。
Tā bùjǐn cōngming, hái hěn nǔlì.
He isn't only smart — he's also very hardworking.
这家餐厅不仅东西好吃，价格也很便宜。
Zhè jiā cāntīng bùjǐn dōngxi hǎochī, jiàgé yě hěn piányi.
This restaurant doesn't just have good food — the prices are also cheap.
学中文不仅要背单词，还要多听多说。
Xué Zhōngwén bùjǐn yào bèi dāncí, hái yào duō tīng duō shuō.
Learning Chinese isn't just memorizing words — you also need to listen and speak a lot.
Common Mistake
Learners forget the 还/也 in the second clause, treating 不仅 like a standalone 'not only.' Chinese demands the second connector — it's the half that delivers the escalation that 不仅 promised.
他不仅会说中文，会说日文。
他不仅会说中文，还会说日文。
Don't Confuse With
不但...而且...
Same meaning, slightly more formal/written. 而且 is heavier than 还/也 and often used when point 2 is a strong logical escalation. Swap freely in writing; in speech 不仅...还... is more common.
不只是...还/也...
Same meaning, lower register — spoken Chinese default. 不仅 leans literary; 不只是 sounds casual.
除了...还/也...
除了 excludes one item and then adds others ('besides X, also Y'). 不仅 includes point 1 fully and stacks point 2 on top with emphasis. Different angle: subtraction vs. escalation.
Practice
她 ___ 漂亮，还很善良。
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不仅
这本书不仅有意思，___ 很有用。
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还
Put in order: [不仅 / 也 / 他 / 会 / 弹 / 钢琴 / 唱歌 / 会]
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他不仅会弹钢琴，也会唱歌。
Translate to Chinese: 'This phone is not only expensive, it's also slow.'
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这个手机不仅贵，还很慢。
Write one sentence praising a friend with two qualities, using 不仅...还...
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Example answer: 我的朋友不仅工作认真，还很会照顾人。 (My friend isn't just dedicated at work — she also really takes care of people.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 不仅...还/也... 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.