Definition
不是 is the negative form of the verb 是 (to be), used to negate a noun or noun phrase (e.g., 他不是老师 'He is not a teacher'). Beyond simple negation, it appears in two common paired structures: 不是…就是… means 'if not A then B' (either A or B), and 不是…而是… means 'not A but rather B'. In these patterns, 不是 introduces a contrast or choice rather than negating a single element. You may also hear 不是 used as a rhetorical question tag (e.g., 不是吗？ 'Isn't it?').
v.
not be (negates a noun or noun phrase after 是)either…or… (in the structure 不是…就是…)not…but… (in the structure 不是…而是…)
Examples
- 不是，。Tā bù shi lǎoshī, shì xuéshēng.He is not a teacher; he is a student.
- 不是。Tā bù shi qù Běijīng jiùshì qù Shànghǎi.He is either going to Beijing or to Shanghai.
- 不是，。Zhè bù shi nǐ de cuò, ér shì wǒ de cuò.This is not your fault, but rather my fault.
Grammar
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