▎既 A 又 B, (jì (Adv) A yòu (Adv) B), not only A, but also B

 

Function This structure indicates that the subject has two things associated at the same time.

1 打工的好處很多。既可以賺錢，又可以交朋友。

Dǎgōng de hǎochù hěn duō. Jì kěyǐ zhuànqián, yòu kěyǐ jiāo péngyǒu.

Working part time has a lot of advantages. Not only can you make money, but you can also make friends.

2 單親爸爸既要賺錢養家，又要照顧孩子，非常辛苦。

Dānqīn bàba jì yào zhuànqián yǎngjiā, yòu yào zhàogù háizi, fēicháng xīnkǔ.

Single dads not only have to make money to raise their families, they also have to take care of their kids. It’s really tough.

3 廣告上這種最新型的手機，款式既新，功能又多，應該很快就會流行起來。

Guǎnggào shàng zhè zhǒng zuì xīn xíng de shǒujī, kuǎnshì jì xīn, gōngnéng yòu duō, yīnggāi hěn kuài jiù huì liúxíngqǐlái.

The latest cell phone being advertised not only comes in a new style, it also has a lot of functions. It’s likely going to catch on fast.

4 她人既長得漂亮，外語能力又強，難怪是學校裡的風雲人物。

Tā rén jì zhǎng de piàoliàng, wàiyǔ nénglì yòu qiáng, nánguài shì xuéxiào lǐ de fēngyún rénwù.

She’s not only pretty, but her foreign language skills are also very good. It’s no wonder she is so well known throughout the school.

5 張先生對吃特別講究，他吃的東西既要味道好，顏色又要美。

Zhāng xiānshēng duì chī tèbié jiǎngjiù, tā chī de dōngxi jì yào wèidào hǎo, yánsè yòu yào měi.

Mr. Zhang is especially particular about eating. The food he eats has to be both delicious and colorful.

 

Usage

(1) 既 and 又 are both adverbs and sentences using this pattern refer to one and the same subject.

(2) The use of ‘既 A 又 B’ and ‘不但búdàn A 也yě B’ and ‘又 A 又 B’ are very similar, but when a speaker uses 既 A 又 B, the addition is clearly incremental. Compare the following.

1 學習外語不但要練習聽和說，也要認字寫字。

Xuéxí wàiyǔ búdàn yào liànxí tīng hàn shuō, yě yào rèn zì xiě zì.

When studying a foreign language, you not only have to practice listening and speaking, you also need to learn to read and write.

(Items are of similar importance.)

2 學習外語既要練習聽和說，又要認字寫字。

Xuéxí wàiyǔ jì yào liànxí tīng hàn shuō, yòu yào rèn zì xiě zì.

When studying a foreign language, you not only have to practice listening and speaking, you also need to learn to read and write.

(Studying languages requires a lot of work.)

(3) Verbs being connected cannot have adverbs of degree. （＊既很好看，又很漂亮 ＊jì hěn hǎokàn, yòu hěn piàoliàng）

(4) 既 A 又 B is more formal and literary than 又 A 又 B. Therefore, the number of syllables in the verbs following both 既 and 又 should be the same as symmetry is important in this pattern.

(5) The meaning of the words that follow 既 and 又 should be both positive or both negative in tone. You cannot say ＊農夫的社會地位既不高，收入又很穩定。(＊Nóngfū de shèhuì dìwèi jì bù gāo, shōurù yòu hěn wěndìng. ‘＊Famers’ status is not only low but they have a steady income.’ )