Definition
而是 is a conjunction used in the pattern '不是 A, 而是 B' to express 'not A, but rather B'. It links two contrasting statements where the first is negated and the second emphasizes the true alternative. The pattern is common in argumentation and clarification. You place 而是 directly before the second clause, and the subject is usually shared or implied.
conjunction
ratherbut ratheron the contrary (used in 不是…而是… pattern)
Examples
- ，而是。Tā bú shì méi shíjiān, ér shì bù xiǎng qù.It's not that he doesn't have time, but rather he doesn't want to go.
- ，而是。Zhège wèntí bú shì jìshù wèntí, ér shì guǎnlǐ wèntí.This issue is not a technical problem but rather a management one.
- ，而是。Chénggōng de guānjiàn bú shì yùnqì, ér shì chíxù de nǔlì.The key to success is not luck but rather persistent effort.
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