HSK Guide

不但 búdàn — not only … (but also)

búdàn (second tone, rising)bu2dan4

not only … (but also)

HSK 3· HSK 1–4 (classic)Level 3· Three-band, nine-level standardconjunction
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Meanings

  1. not only … (but also)

    Opens the first half of a two-part sentence and requires an answering 而且, 还 or 也 in the second. If both halves share a subject, 不但 stands after it: 他不但…; if the subjects differ, it stands before: 不但他…, 别人也….

    conjunction

Character breakdown

  • 不
    bù (fourth tone, falling)

    not, no — the general negative, placed before verbs and adjectives

    4 strokesRadical 一

Example sentences

  • 他不但会说汉语，而且说得很好。他不但會說漢語，而且說得很好。Tā (first tone, high and level) búdàn (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level) Hànyǔ, (fourth tone, falling) érqiě (second tone, rising) shuō (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) hěn (third tone, dipping) hǎo. (third tone, dipping)···

    He not only speaks Chinese, he speaks it well.

  • 这个房间不但大，而且很干净。這個房間不但大，而且很乾淨。Zhège (fourth tone, falling) fángjiān (second tone, rising) búdàn (second tone, rising) dà, (fourth tone, falling) érqiě (second tone, rising) hěn (third tone, dipping) gānjìng. (first tone, high and level)···

    This room is not only big, it is clean too.

Common mistakes

  • Not quite不但他会说汉语，也会写。

    Correct他不但会说汉语，也会写。

    Both halves are about the same person, so the subject 他 comes first and 不但 follows it. 不但 only precedes the subject when the second clause introduces a different one.

  • Not quite这个房间不但大，很干净。

    Correct这个房间不但大，而且很干净。

    不但 cannot stand alone. The second clause must carry 而且, 还 or 也 — the pair is what makes the sentence work.

Similar words

Words containing 不