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非但 (fēi dàn) — not only (formal, used before a negative clause, often with 反而 or 而且)

Definition

非但 is the formal written equivalent of 不但/不仅/不光, used before a negative clause and often paired with 反而 or 而且. It sounds more literary than the everyday 不光.

conjunction
not only (formal, used before a negative clause, often with 反而 or 而且)

Examples

  • 非但，。
    Tā fēi dàn bù bāng máng, fǎn ér tiān luàn.
    He not only didn't help, but made things worse.
  • 非但，。
    Zhè ge wèn tí fēi dàn méi yǒu jiě jué, fǎn ér gèng yán zhòng le.
    This problem not only wasn't solved, but became more serious.
  • 非但，。
    Tā fēi dàn bù tóng yì, ér qiě hái pī píng le wǒ.
    She not only disagreed, but also criticized me.

Origin

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.

非fēinot
但dànonly

非 (not) and 但 (only) combine to mean not only.

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 非 is drawn from two wings facing opposite directions. It later came to be used for going against or not being.

Open 非 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
旦
旦dàn但dàn
Same sound today

但 pairs 亻, a person, with 旦, which gives its sound.

Open 但 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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