而 · 不是……，而是……
A, whereas B · not A, but B
Structure
A ， 而 B · 不是 A ， 而是 B
What it means
而 sets two different facts side by side: “A, whereas B”. 不是 A，而是 B corrects an idea: “not A, but B”.
How it is built
A，而 B: 南方人爱吃米饭，而北方人爱吃面条 (Southerners love rice, whereas northerners love noodles). 不是 A，而是 B: 问题不是钱，而是时间 (The problem isn’t money; it’s time).
When to use it
而 is a little more formal than 但是 and often compares two people or places. 不是……而是…… also gives the real reason: 我不是不喜欢四川菜，而是吃不了辣.
Watch out
Don’t use 但是 in the correction: ✗ 问题不是钱，但是时间 ✓ 问题不是钱，而是时间.
Examples
南方人爱吃米饭，而北方人爱吃面条。
Southerners love rice, whereas northerners love noodles.
问题不是钱，而是时间。
The problem isn’t money; it’s time.
我不是不喜欢四川菜，而是吃不了辣。
It’s not that I don’t like Sichuan food; I just can’t eat spicy things.
Learn this in HSK 4 · Lesson 3: 酸甜苦辣 (Flavours)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
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