HSK 4 grammar · new HSK syllabus
不是…而是…: not A but B
不是 A 而是 B corrects a wrong idea: 他不是不想来，而是没时间.
Structure
- 不是 + A，而是 + B
How it works
不是…而是… rejects one explanation and gives the right one: 问题不是钱，而是时间.
Compare 不是…就是… (either…or…), which offers two possibilities.
Examples
-
他不是不想来，而是太忙了。
Tā bú shì bù xiǎng lái, ér shì tài máng le.
It’s not that he doesn’t want to come; he’s too busy.
-
问题不是价格，而是质量。
Wèntí bú shì jiàgé, ér shì zhìliàng.
The problem isn’t the price but the quality.
-
我学汉语不是为了考试，而是因为喜欢。
Wǒ xué Hànyǔ bú shì wèile kǎoshì, ér shì yīnwèi xǐhuan.
I learn Chinese not for exams but because I like it.
-
他周末不是在家看书，就是去打球。
Tā zhōumò bú shì zài jiā kàn shū, jiùshì qù dǎ qiú.
At weekends he either reads at home or plays ball.
-
成功的关键不是聪明，而是坚持。
Chénggōng de guānjiàn bú shì cōngmíng, ér shì jiānchí.
The key to success isn’t cleverness but persistence.
Words in these examples (33)
| 他 | tā | he; him | HSK 1 |
| 不 | bù | not; no | HSK 1 |
| 是 | shì | to be (am, is, are); yes | HSK 1 |
| 想 | xiǎng | to want to; to think; to miss | HSK 1 |
| 来 | lái | to come | HSK 1 |
| 而 | ér | and; but; while | HSK 4 |
| 太 | tài | too; extremely | HSK 1 |
| 忙 | máng | busy | HSK 1 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 问题 | wèntí | question; problem | HSK 1 |
| 价格 | jiàgé | price | HSK 4 |
| 质量 | zhìliàng | quality | HSK 4 |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | HSK 1 |
| 学 | xué | to learn; to study | HSK 1 |
| 汉语 | Hànyǔ | Chinese (language) | HSK 1 |
| 为了 | wèile | in order to; for | HSK 3 |
| 考试 | kǎoshì | exam; to take an exam | HSK 2 |
| 因为 | yīnwèi | because | HSK 2 |
| 喜欢 | xǐhuan | to like | HSK 1 |
| 周末 | zhōumò | weekend | HSK 3 |
| 在 | zài | to be at; at; in; (before a verb) in the middle of doing | HSK 1 |
| 家 | jiā | home; family; (measure word for shops and companies) | HSK 1 |
| 看 | kàn | to look; to watch; to read | HSK 1 |
| 书 | shū | book | HSK 1 |
| 就是 | jiùshì | exactly; just; that is | HSK 4 |
| 去 | qù | to go | HSK 1 |
| 打 | dǎ | to hit; to play (ball games); to make (a call) | HSK 2 |
| 球 | qiú | ball | HSK 2 |
| 成功 | chénggōng | to succeed; success | HSK 4 |
| 的 | de | (particle linking a describer to a noun, like "'s") | HSK 1 |
| 关键 | guānjiàn | key; crucial | HSK 4 |
| 聪明 | cōngmíng | clever; smart | HSK 3 |
| 坚持 | jiānchí | to keep at it; to insist | HSK 3 |
Common mistakes
-
✗他不是不想来，但是太忙了。
✓他不是不想来，而是太忙了。
不是 pairs with 而是.
-
✗不是A，而B。
✓不是A，而是B。
Keep 是 after 而.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 他不是我哥哥， 我朋友。
2. 我每天早上不是跑步， 游泳。
3. 我们缺的不是钱， 时间。