不仅仅是...更在于...
Reach for this when you want to redirect attention from the surface-level reason to the deeper one. 不仅仅是 concedes the obvious answer; 更在于 says 'the real point lies in…'. This is essay and op-ed register — the kind of move where a writer disarms a shallow reading by acknowledging it, then pivots to the heart of the matter. Strongly written, slightly formal.
Structure
[TOPIC] 不仅仅是 [SURFACE-REASON]，更在于 [DEEPER-REASON]
bù jǐn jǐn shì..., gèng zài yú...
How to Think About It
在于 literally means 'lies in' — it locates the essence of something. So 更在于 is 'the deeper thing it lies in is…'. The first half is what most people would notice; the second half is what the writer thinks is actually going on. If your second half isn't a deeper or more essential point than your first, use 也 or 而且 instead — 更在于 promises depth and looks silly if you don't deliver.
Examples
这种“电影级”的质感，不仅仅是清晰度的问题，更在于镜头运动的流畅度和视觉的一致性。
Zhè zhǒng “diànyǐng jí” de zhìgǎn, bù jǐn jǐn shì qīngxīdù de wèntí, gèng zài yú jìngtóu yùndòng de liúchàngdù hé shìjué de yīzhìxìng.
This 'cinematic' feel isn't just a question of resolution; what really matters is the smoothness of the camera motion and visual consistency.
好教育的价值，不仅仅是分数，更在于培养独立思考的能力。
Hǎo jiàoyù de jiàzhí, bù jǐn jǐn shì fēnshù, gèng zài yú péiyǎng dúlì sīkǎo de nénglì.
The value of a good education isn't just grades; it lies in cultivating independent thinking.
这次胜利不仅仅是技术的胜利，更在于团队的信任和默契。
Zhè cì shènglì bù jǐn jǐn shì jìshù de shènglì, gèng zài yú tuánduì de xìnrèn hé mòqì.
This victory wasn't just a technical win; it lay in the team's trust and chemistry.
Common Mistake
Learners often follow 更在于 with a full clause containing a separate subject and verb, as if it were 而且. 在于 takes a noun phrase or a nominalized clause — the thing X is essentially about. Treating it like a normal conjunction leads to grammatically loose sentences.
成功不仅仅是努力，更在于你需要运气。
成功不仅仅是努力，更在于运气和时机。
Don't Confuse With
不仅仅是……也……
也 just adds another fact on equal footing. 更在于 ranks the second half above the first — it's not 'also', it's 'the real reason'.
不但……而且……
而且 stacks two parallel points. Use it when both halves are equally weighty; use 更在于 when you're explicitly demoting the first half and elevating the second.
关键在于……
关键在于 introduces the key point without conceding a lesser one first. Use it when there's no need to acknowledge a surface answer; use 不仅仅是……更在于…… when you want to push past one.
Practice
Fill in the blank: 一家公司的实力不仅仅是利润，___在于它的长期愿景。
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更
Fill in the blank: 学一门语言不仅仅是学语法，更在___学一种思维方式。
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于
Arrange: 在于 / 不仅仅是 / 健康 / 长寿 / 生活的质量 / 更 (Health isn't just about long life; it lies in quality of life.)
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健康不仅仅是长寿，更在于生活的质量。
Translate to Chinese: A city's appeal isn't just its scenery; what really matters is its culture and people.
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一座城市的魅力不仅仅是风景，更在于它的文化和人。
Use 不仅仅是……更在于…… to make a point about something you care about.
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好的设计不仅仅是好看，更在于让用户在最短的时间内完成他们要做的事。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: