不仅仅是…更是…
not merely A; more importantly B
Structure
不仅仅是 A , 更是 B
What it means
Not merely A; more importantly B: grants the first point, then raises a second one that matters more.
How it is built
(Subject) + 不仅仅是 + A,更是 + B: 读书不仅仅是为了考试,更是为了认识世界 (Study is not just for exams; more than that, it is for understanding the world).
When to use it
A stronger 不但…而且: the second half is the one that matters. Formal-leaning; common in essays and speeches. Lighter variants: 不仅…还…, 不只是…也是….
Watch out
Keep A and B parallel: ✗ 这不仅仅是钱的问题,更是很重要 ✓ 这不仅仅是钱的问题,更是权利的问题. The bigger point goes second.
Examples
缩小城乡差距不仅仅是钱的问题,更是权利的问题。
Narrowing the gap is not merely a matter of money but, more importantly, of rights.
读书不仅仅是为了考试,更是为了认识世界。
Study is not just for exams; more than that, it is for understanding the world.
Learn this in Lesson 58 · HSK 6: 乡村振兴 (The countryside)
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 →