不仅...更/也...
Use this when you want to add a second point that goes further than the first — 'not only X, but also (even more) Y.' The first half names something true; the second half pushes past it, either confirming a stronger version (with 更) or simply adding (with 也). It's the upgrade button on Chinese sentences: take what was already said, then say something bigger. Standard in essays, news commentary, and any time you want to escalate.
Structure
不仅 [POINT_1], 更/也 [POINT_2]
bùjǐn... gèng/yě...
How to Think About It
更 means the second clause is stronger or further than the first; 也 means it's an additional but parallel point. If point 2 is bigger, deeper, or more impressive than point 1, use 更. If point 2 just sits next to point 1, use 也. Picking 更 when both points are roughly equal makes the sentence feel falsely dramatic.
Examples
他不仅会说中文, 也会写汉字。
Tā bùjǐn huì shuō Zhōngwén, yě huì xiě Hànzì.
He can not only speak Chinese, but also write characters.
这部电影不仅有意思, 更让人深思。
Zhè bù diànyǐng bùjǐn yǒu yìsi, gèng ràng rén shēnsī.
This film is not only entertaining, it actually makes you think.
她不仅是一位好医生, 也是一位好老师。
Tā bùjǐn shì yī wèi hǎo yīshēng, yě shì yī wèi hǎo lǎoshī.
She is not only a good doctor, but also a good teacher.
Common Mistake
Learners drop the second half entirely or replace 更/也 with 但是, treating 不仅 like a contrast word. 不仅 is addition, not contrast — the second clause has to extend the first, not push back against it.
他不仅会说中文, 但是不会写。
他不仅会说中文, 也会写。
Don't Confuse With
不但...而且...
Same meaning, slightly more conversational. 不仅...更/也... reads more formal and is preferred in writing.
不仅...还...
Interchangeable with 也, but 还 feels slightly more spoken. Use 更 only when the second point clearly outweighs the first.
除了...还/也...
除了 excludes the first item from the count ('besides X, also Y'). 不仅 includes both. If you'd say 'on top of,' use 除了; if 'and even more so,' use 不仅.
Practice
他____会说中文, 也会写汉字。
Show answer
不仅
这部电影不仅有意思, ____让人深思。
Show answer
更
Arrange: 她 / 也 / 不仅 / 唱歌 / 跳舞 / 会 / 会
Show answer
她不仅会唱歌, 也会跳舞。
This technology not only solved the shortage problem, it also made Chinese AI stand out internationally.
Show answer
这种技术不仅解决了短缺的问题, 也让中国的人工智能在国际上崭露头角。
Write a sentence using 不仅...更... to praise something you like.
Show answer
这家餐厅不仅菜好吃, 更让人觉得像在家里一样。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: