学华语Learn Chinese with BaoOpen the course

不但没…反而…

far from …, on the contrary …

Structure
不但不/没 预期的结果 , 反而 相反的结果

What it means

Far from …, on the contrary …: denies the expected result, then gives the opposite one.

How it is built

(Subject) + 不但不/没 + expected result,反而 + opposite: 他不但不认错,反而责怪别人 (Far from admitting his mistake, he blames others). 没 for past events, 不 for habits or will.

When to use it

Sharper than plain 反而. Compare 不但…而且…, where both halves point the same way; here they clash. Neutral, spoken and written.

Watch out

The first half must be negative: ✗ 他不但认错,反而责怪别人 ✓ 他不但不认错,反而责怪别人. Use 反而, not 而且, in the second half.

Examples

价格战不但没有让企业赚到更多的钱,反而使利润越来越薄。
Far from earning firms more, the price war has thinned their profits.
他不但不认错,反而责怪别人。
Far from admitting his mistake, he blames others.
Learn this in Lesson 55 · HSK 6: 新能源与中国制造 (Electric cars and the new factory floor)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
Open the lesson →

Also in this lesson

← 凡是…都…得以 →