不但…而且… — Grants one claim about a subject, then adds a second that goes further on the same subject.

grammar → 不但…而且…

TSUMUGU · TBCL 3 (est.) · 語法

不但…而且… grammar point · tier 2 · 不但…而且… not only … but also (escalating addition)

Grants one claim about a subject, then adds a second that goes further on the same subject.

字源 FORM what the parts do

不但 opens the lesser claim: 不 is the borrowed negation, and 但 is the graph for bared skin (亻 a person, 旦 sounding it) lent to the only/but words — between them, 'not only this much'. 而且 opens the claim that goes further: 而 is the borrowed beard-graph that joins clauses, and 且 the borrowed shrine-tablet graph carried over to 'moreover'. The same subject runs through both brackets.

故事 STORY a scene to remember it by

The foot rests on one step, then lands on a higher step past it.

字源自撰記憶法

框 · Frame

[subj] 不但 [A]，而且 [B, going further]

觸 · Trigger

You grant one thing about a subject and want to add a second that raises the claim further.

序 · The move

1name the one subject both claims report on

2不但 + the lesser claim Ais A the conceded, lower rung — the thing taken as given?

3而且 + the further claim Bdoes B go beyond A, not merely sit beside it as an equal?

例 · Examples

1這個this (measure 個)故事story不但容易easy了解to understand，而且很有意思interesting。

This story is not only easy to understand, but also very interesting.

界 · Boundary

又…又…

不但…而且… steps up — the second claim outranks the first; 又…又… lays two equal qualities flat, neither outdoing the other.

雖然…但是…

不但…而且… runs the same direction — the second pushes past the first; 雖然…但是… reverses — the second turns against what the first set up.

second clause goes the same height, no step up: 不但容易，而且簡單 → 又容易又簡單

dropping 而且 and joining with 和: 不但容易了解和很有意思 → 不但容易了解，而且很有意思

lesser and greater claims swapped so it reads downhill: 不但很有意思，而且容易了解 → 不但容易了解，而且很有意思

English 'not only … but also …' keeps both halves; learners drop the second marker, writing 不但 A，B with no 而且, or splice the clauses with 和.

族 · Family

(不但)不/沒…反而…the opposite of what was looked for; 不但 may front the denial to play up the surprise.不但…還/也…not only A, but also B; the two add up rather than clash.