Sometimes you want to explain that an object, concept, or event isn't one thing, but in fact a different thing. This is the perfect structure to convey that in Chinese.

Structure

"不是⋯⋯， (而)是⋯⋯" (bùshì..., (ér)shì...) is used to clarify something about a certain noun. What's being clarified can be noun phrases or verb phrases.

An easy way to remember this pattern is that it roughly corresponds to the English, "Something is not X, it's Y."

Examples

他不是中国人，是美国人。 Tā bù shì Zhōngguó rén, shì Měiguó rén.
He isn't Chinese, he's American.
这个大楼不是公寓，是办公楼。 Zhège dàlóu bù shì gōngyù, shì bàngōnglóu.
This building isn't an apartment building, it's an office building.
那不是一个问题，而是一个机会。 Nà bù shì yī gè wèntí, érshì yī gè jīhuì.
That isn't a problem, it's an opportunity.
重要的不是你的外表，而是你的内心。 Zhòngyào de bù shì nǐ de wàibiǎo, érshì nǐ de nèixīn.
What's important is not how you look outside, it's your inside.
我不是故意的，是不小心。 Wǒ bù shì gùyì de, shì bù xiǎoxīn.
I didn't mean to, it's an innocent mistake.
你这样做不是帮他，是害他。 Nǐ zhèyàng zuò bù shì bāng tā, shì hài tā.
You were not helping him by doing this, you're hurting him.
我帮你不是想让你感谢我，而是想跟你做朋友。 Wǒ bāng nǐ bù shì xiǎng ràng nǐ gǎnxiè wǒ, érshì xiǎng gēn nǐ zuò péngyou.
The reason why I helped you is not to make you grateful to me, but to be friends with you.
我们不是来玩的，是来工作的。 Wǒmen bù shì lái wán de, shì lái gōngzuò de.
We're not here to play, we're here to do our job.
他不是不喜欢你，是跟你还不熟。 Tā bù shì bù xǐhuan nǐ, shì gēn nǐ hái bù shóu.
It's not that he doesn't like you, it's just he's unacquainted with you.
生活中不是缺少美，而是缺少发现美的眼睛。 Shēnghuó zhōng bù shì quēshǎo měi, érshì quēshǎo fāxiàn měi de yǎnjing.
Beauty is found everywhere. To our eyes, it is not a lack of beauty but a lack of discovery.

Contents

Structure

Examples

See also

Sources and further reading

Books