X 是 ...，是 ...，也是 ...
Reach for this when one subject wears many hats and you want to layer all of them in a single rhythmic sentence — 'X is A, is B, and is also C.' The first 是 introduces the obvious role, the middle 是 adds a parallel one, and the closing 也是 caps the list. The result has a punchy, almost essayistic feel; it's the structure you'll hear in pitches, profiles, and any moment where someone is being framed as more than one thing.
Structure
[X] 是 [ROLE 1], 是 [ROLE 2], 也是 [ROLE 3]
... shì ..., shì ..., yě shì ...
How to Think About It
Parallelism is the whole point. All three slots have to be the same kind of thing — three nouns, three role labels, three categories — because the rhythm depends on them slotting into the same mental shape. The closing 也是 is what tells the listener 'list is complete now'; without it, the sentence feels chopped off. Switch the last 是 to 也是 every time, never the middle one.
Examples
她是医生, 是妈妈, 也是作家。
Tā shì yīshēng, shì māma, yě shì zuòjiā.
She's a doctor, a mother, and also a writer.
这家店是咖啡馆, 是书店, 也是朋友聚会的地方。
Zhè jiā diàn shì kāfēiguǎn, shì shūdiàn, yě shì péngyou jùhuì de dìfang.
This place is a café, a bookshop, and also a spot where friends meet up.
学中文是兴趣, 是工作, 也是我的生活。
Xué Zhōngwén shì xìngqù, shì gōngzuò, yě shì wǒ de shēnghuó.
Learning Chinese is a hobby, a job, and also my life.
Common Mistake
Learners put 也 in the middle slot instead of the end, which scrambles the rhythm. 也 marks the closer of the list; the middle slot stays bare 是. The pattern is 是...是...也是..., not 是...也是...是....
他是医生, 也是老师, 是作家。
他是医生, 是老师, 也是作家。
Don't Confuse With
不仅是...也是...
Two-slot version with emphasis on the second role being unexpected. Use when you only want to layer two identities, not three or more.
既是...又是...
Two-slot fixed pair meaning 'both X and Y.' More compact and slightly more formal. Doesn't extend to three items the way the comma list does.
是 A 和 B 和 C
Plain 'and' listing — flat and unstylish. The 是...是...也是... rhythm gives each role its own beat, which makes the listener feel each one separately.
Practice
他是老师, ___ 父亲, 也是朋友。
Show answer
是
北京是首都, 是历史名城, ___ 一个现代的城市。
Show answer
也是
Put in order: [是 / 是 / 也是 / 她 / 演员 / 歌手 / 导演]
Show answer
她是演员, 是歌手, 也是导演。
Translate to Chinese: 'He is a friend, a teacher, and also a mentor.'
Show answer
他是朋友, 是老师, 也是导师。
Write one sentence about a person or place using X 是 ..., 是 ..., 也是 ... to layer three roles.
Show answer
Example answer: 我妈妈是老师, 是厨师, 也是我最好的朋友。 (My mom is a teacher, a chef, and also my best friend.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear X 是 ...，是 ...，也是 ... 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.