既……又……
Reach for this when you want to stack two qualities or actions onto the same subject at the same time — 'both X and Y.' It's the literary cousin of 又……又……: same job, but a rung up in formality, so you'll see it in news writing, essays, and polished speech rather than chatty conversation. Most often it pairs two adjectives or two short verb phrases that paint a single, balanced picture of one thing.
Structure
[SUBJECT] 既 [QUALITY1] 又 [QUALITY2]
jì... yòu...
How to Think About It
既……又…… is a balance scale. The subject sits in the middle and you're hanging two weights of the same kind on it — two adjectives or two verbs, never one of each. The pattern only works when the two halves are grammatically parallel and describe the same subject simultaneously; the moment you try to bolt on a separate subject for the second half, the scale collapses.
Examples
这家餐厅既便宜又好吃。
Zhè jiā cāntīng jì piányi yòu hǎochī.
This restaurant is both cheap and delicious.
她既会说英语，又会说法语。
Tā jì huì shuō Yīngyǔ, yòu huì shuō Fǎyǔ.
She can speak both English and French.
这个方案既简单又有效。
Zhège fāng'àn jì jiǎndān yòu yǒuxiào.
This plan is both simple and effective.
Common Mistake
Learners mix word classes — pairing an adjective with a verb phrase — or sneak in a second subject after 又. 既……又…… demands parallel structure on a single subject.
他既高，又喜欢打篮球。
他既高又壮。
Don't Confuse With
又……又……
Same meaning, but colloquial. Use 又……又…… in speech and texts; switch to 既……又…… when the register turns formal or written.
不但……而且……
Pick this when the second item escalates or adds new information. 既……又…… just lists two co-existing traits without ranking them.
一边……一边……
Use 一边……一边…… for two physical actions performed at the same moment (walking and talking). 既……又…… stacks qualities, not concurrent actions.
Practice
Fill in the blank: 这件衣服___便宜又好看。
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既
Fill in the blank: 他既聪明___努力。
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又
Arrange: 又 / 既 / 安静 / 这个地方 / 干净
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这个地方既安静又干净。
Translate to Chinese: This phone is both light and fast.
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这部手机既轻又快。
Write a sentence using 既……又…… to describe a city you know.
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北京既古老又现代。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 9 Fluentide episodes:
这句听起来既像是某种激进的健身房动员口号，又像是某种前卫行为艺术的指令
它既能承载皇家的威严，也能容纳市井的喧闹。
这句话，或许正是德国当前心态的最真实写照：既恐惧于依赖，又无法承受分离