不仅...也/更...
Reach for 不仅...也/更... when you want to stack two true things and signal that the second one matters more, or is on top of the first. 'Not only is it cheap, it's also delicious.' 'He doesn't just speak English — he also speaks Chinese.' This is the upgrade pattern: the first clause establishes a base fact, and 也 or 更 in the second clause adds an extra layer — 也 is additive, 更 raises the stakes.
Structure
[SUBJECT] 不仅 [FACT A], 也/更 [FACT B]
bùjǐn... yě/gèng...
How to Think About It
不仅 is the 'not only' opener; the second clause needs an additive marker because Chinese hates a dangling 'also' implication. The choice of 也 vs. 更 matters: 也 stacks B alongside A as equal-weight ('also'); 更 ranks B as stronger or more impressive than A ('even more'). Mixing them up flattens the rhetorical effect. The subject typically appears once at the front — don't repeat it in both clauses unless you're switching subjects.
Examples
这家餐厅不仅菜好吃, 价格也很便宜。
Zhè jiā cāntīng bùjǐn cài hǎochī, jiàgé yě hěn piányi.
At this restaurant the food is not only tasty, it's also cheap.
她不仅是一位优秀的老师, 更是一个好妈妈。
Tā bùjǐn shì yí wèi yōuxiù de lǎoshī, gèng shì yí ge hǎo māma.
She's not only an excellent teacher — she's an even better mother.
运动不仅能强身, 也能减压。
Yùndòng bùjǐn néng qiáng shēn, yě néng jiǎn yā.
Exercise not only builds your body, it also relieves stress.
Common Mistake
Learners drop 也/更 from the second clause, leaving 不仅 hanging. 不仅 demands a pair word — without 也, 更, or 还 in the second half, the sentence feels half-built to a native ear.
他不仅会说英语, 会说中文。
他不仅会说英语, 也会说中文。
Don't Confuse With
不但...而且...
Near-identical meaning, slightly more formal. 不但...而且... is the textbook version; 不仅...也/更... is more common in news and modern writing.
不仅...还...
还 in the second clause is the everyday additive — works for either equal-weight or escalating. Pick 还 when you want a neutral conversational tone; pick 更 specifically to signal escalation.
除了...还...
除了 ('besides X') sets X aside and adds Y; 不仅 keeps both X and Y in focus. 'Besides Beijing, I've also been to Shanghai' (focus on Shanghai) vs. 'I've not only been to Beijing, I've also been to Shanghai' (focus on the impressive total).
Practice
他不仅聪明, ___ 很努力。
Show answer
也
___ 学生应该读书, 老师也应该读书。
Show answer
不仅
Put in order: [更 / 这本书 / 有趣 / 不仅 / 有用]
Show answer
这本书不仅有趣, 更有用。
Translate to Chinese: 'He not only speaks Chinese, he writes it too.'
Show answer
他不仅会说中文, 也会写中文。
Describe a person or thing with two qualities using 不仅...也/更...
Show answer
Example answer: 这座城市不仅风景美, 食物也很有特色。 (This city has not only beautiful scenery but also distinctive food.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 不仅...也/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, no card.