不光 (bù guāng) — not only (used to indicate addition, often with…

Definition

不光…还/也… means 'not only… but also…', very close in meaning to 不但 and 不仅. Use it in casual speech and writing; 不但 is the most common textbook pairing.

not only (used to indicate addition, often with 还 or 也)

，。
Tā bù guāng huì chàng gē, hái huì tiào wǔ.
He can not only sing but also dance.
，。
Zhè ge cài bù guāng hǎo chī, hái hěn hǎo kàn.
This dish is not only delicious but also looks good.
，。
Bù guāng xiǎo míng xǐ huan yóu yǒng, wǒ yě xǐ huan.
Not only Xiaoming likes swimming, I like it too.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

光guāngonly; merely

不 negates 光, so it is not only, adding something else.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 光 places 火 (fire) above 卩 (a kneeling person), showing fire over the head and the shining of light.

Appears in