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: