Chinese Conversation · Level 29
90 words
Chinese word
而且
Pronunciation
Pinyinér qiě
Meaning
- conjunctionand
Example
他很聪明，而且很努力。tā hěn cōng míng ér qiě hěn nǔ lì
He is very smart, and he works very hard.
More examples
他不仅会弹钢琴，而且会唱歌。tā bù jǐn huì tán gāng qín ér qiě huì chàng gē
He can not only play the piano but also sing.
Core concept
A statement grows by adding a second, supporting fact to the first.
Common phrases
而且还ér qiě hái
and also
不仅...，而且bù jǐn ér qiě
not only ___ but also
Similar words
并且bìng qiě: Adds another fact to what has already been said, linking the two clauses.
Definition in Chinese
用来连接两个分句，表示在已述事实上再补充另一事实，语气常带加强或递进意味。yòng lái lián jiē liǎng gè fēn jù biǎo shì zài yǐ shù shì shí shàng zài bǔ chōng lìng yí shì shí yǔ qì cháng dài jiā qiáng huò dì jìn yì wèi
Word origin
而 (ér, "and") and 且 (qiě, "also") are both linking elements, and their combination gives the word its sense of adding one more point.
Usage tips
- English often puts "also" in several positions, but this conjunction usually comes before the added clause, which makes its position easier to spot in Chinese sentences.