Both this and that: 又…又…
Two parallel qualities or facts held at once. They may carry different evaluations; in the basic frame, omit 很 before the adjectives.
Structure
（主语）+ 又 + A + 又 + B（A、B 为平行的形容词或动词）
Explanation
Chinese words in this text can be activated to show a dictionary gloss.
…… stacks two parallel descriptions on one subject: “The food here is tasty and cheap.” Each stands in front of its own word, and the pair is read as a single package rather than as two separate statements. The qualities need not share the same evaluation: naturally means “both pretty and expensive”; …… is available when the speaker wants to foreground a concession.
In the basic adjectival frame, no degree word goes inside: use rather than . The frame also works with verbs and negatives: , . It can extend beyond two terms: .
In more formal or written Chinese, …… does the same job with a slightly more measured tone: .
Correct
Say each one out loud before moving on. The audio is a reference pronunciation, not a model to imitate exactly — match the tone contour, not the voice.
这家饭馆的菜又好吃又便宜。這家飯館的菜又好吃又便宜。
Zhè (fourth tone, falling) jiā (first tone, high and level) fànguǎn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) cài (fourth tone, falling) yòu (fourth tone, falling) hǎochī (third tone, dipping) yòu (fourth tone, falling) piányi. (second tone, rising)···
The food at this restaurant is tasty and cheap.
这个房间又大又亮。這個房間又大又亮。
Zhège (fourth tone, falling) fángjiān (second tone, rising) yòu (fourth tone, falling) dà (fourth tone, falling) yòu (fourth tone, falling) liàng. (fourth tone, falling)···
This room is big and bright.
他又会说汉语，又会说日语。他又會說漢語，又會說日語。
Tā (first tone, high and level) yòu (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level) Hànyǔ, (fourth tone, falling) yòu (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level) Rìyǔ. (fourth tone, falling)···
He speaks both Chinese and Japanese.
Incorrect — Common mistakes
These sentences are wrong. They are printed here on purpose, each one paired with the repair and the reason, because the error you can recognise is the error you stop making.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 这个房间又很大又很亮。
Correct
Correct sentence: 这个房间又大又亮。
Why: 又 already does the linking, so 很 is left with no work. Adjectives inside the frame stand bare.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 这家饭馆的菜又很好吃又很贵。
Correct
Correct sentence: 这家饭馆的菜又好吃又贵。
Why: Inside the basic 又…又… frame, the parallel adjectives normally stand bare. Mixed evaluations are grammatical: this sentence can naturally mean that the food is both tasty and expensive.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 又这个房间大又亮。
Correct
Correct sentence: 这个房间又大又亮。
Why: 又 is an adverb attached to the adjective, so it follows the subject. Only conjunctions may open a clause.
Compared with
Most errors with this pattern are not errors about this pattern — they are a neighbouring pattern arriving at the wrong moment. Read these side by side.
Both frames double something up, but not the same thing. 一边…一边… puts two *activities* in the same stretch of time and both must be things you can be busy doing: 他一边吃饭一边看电视. 又…又… lists two *properties* or two facts that are true of the subject, without any claim that they are happening at one moment: 他又高又瘦, 他又会说汉语又会开车. That is why adjectives go with 又 and never with 一边: 他一边高一边瘦 is meaningless.
Doing two things at once: 一边…一边… →Often confused with
Not only… but also: 不但…而且…
主语 + 不但 + A，而且 + 还／也 + B（同一主语） ｜ 不但 + 主语1 + A，而且 + 主语2 + 也 + B
More →Mini quiz
Question 1 / 3Total score: 0
Choose the correct sentence.