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Level Independent Chinese · HSK 3

Adding Ideas: 不但…而且, 不仅, 除了…以外, 一方面 and 同时

Building an argument or a description means adding points. Chinese gives you pairs that mark the addition at both ends, and it's careful about where the subject goes.

不但…而且… / 不仅…还…

不但 (búdàn) or 不仅 (bùjǐn) opens the first point; 而且 (érqiě), 还 or 也 adds the second. With one subject, the subject comes first, before 不但. With two different subjects, each clause keeps its own subject after the connector.

  • 他不但会说中文，而且说得很好。

    Tā búdàn huì shuō Zhōngwén, érqiě shuō de hěn hǎo.

    Not only can he speak Chinese, he speaks it well.

  • 不但我喜欢，而且我妈妈也喜欢。

    Búdàn wǒ xǐhuan, érqiě wǒ māma yě xǐhuan.

    Not only do I like it, my mum likes it too.

  • 这仅仅是开始。

    Zhè jǐnjǐn shì kāishǐ.

    This is only the beginning.

除了…以外: besides or except

除了 (chúle) … (以外) means "besides" when followed by 还 or 也, and "except" when followed by 都.

PatternMeaning
除了 A 以外，还 / 也 …besides A, also ...
除了 A 以外，都 …except A, all ...

  • 除了中文以外，他还会说英语。

    Chúle Zhōngwén yǐwài, tā hái huì shuō Yīngyǔ.

    Besides Chinese, he also speaks English.

  • 除了他以外，我们都去了。

    Chúle tā yǐwài, wǒmen dōu qù le.

    All of us went except him.

一方面…另一方面…

Two sides or two reasons: 一方面 (on the one hand) … 另一方面 (on the other hand). Unlike English, both halves often point the same way: two reasons, not a contrast.

  • 我学中文，一方面是为了工作，另一方面是因为我喜欢中国文化。

    Wǒ xué Zhōngwén, yì fāngmiàn shì wèile gōngzuò, lìng yì fāngmiàn shì yīnwèi wǒ xǐhuan Zhōngguó wénhuà.

    I'm learning Chinese partly for work and partly because I love Chinese culture.

同时, 并且, 另外, 只是

同时 (tóngshí) is "at the same time, also". 并且 (bìngqiě) joins verbs or clauses ("and also"); written 并 does the same. 另外 (lìngwài) opens an extra point ("in addition"). 只是 (zhǐshì) adds a small reservation: "it's just that".

  • 他是老师，同时也是作家。

    Tā shì lǎoshī, tóngshí yě shì zuòjiā.

    He's a teacher and a writer as well.

  • 另外，我还想说一件事。

    Lìngwài, wǒ hái xiǎng shuō yí jiàn shì.

    There's one more thing I'd like to say.

  • 我很想去，只是没有时间。

    Wǒ hěn xiǎng qù, zhǐshì méiyǒu shíjiān.

    I'd love to go; it's just that I don't have time.

Common mistakes

  • ✗他不但会说中文，但是说得很好。

    ✓他不但会说中文，而且说得很好。

    Tā búdàn huì shuō Zhōngwén, érqiě shuō de hěn hǎo.

    不但 adds, it doesn't contrast. Its partner is 而且, 还 or 也.

  • ✗除了中文以外，他会说英语。

    ✓除了中文以外，他还会说英语。

    Chúle Zhōngwén yǐwài, tā hái huì shuō Yīngyǔ.

    Without 还 or 都, the 除了 sentence is ambiguous. Use 还 for "besides".

  • ✗不但他喜欢，而且也喜欢唱歌。

    ✓他不但喜欢跳舞，而且也喜欢唱歌。

    Tā búdàn xǐhuan tiàowǔ, érqiě yě xǐhuan chàng gē.

    With one subject, put it before 不但, and give each half its own content.

Questions learners ask

Can I leave out 以外 after 除了?

Yes: 除了他，我们都去了. 以外 (or 之外) makes it a little more complete.

Is 一方面…另一方面 a contrast like "on the other hand"?

It can be, but more often it lists two aspects or reasons. For a contrast, 但是 or 不过 is clearer.

Practice this in lessons

The Everyday Chinese lessons teach this step by step, with exercises and review built in.

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