When do I use 并 vs 并且?

Use 并 to directly connect two verbs or verb phrases in formal writing, e.g., '讨论并决定' (discuss and decide). Use 并且 to connect two clauses or predicates, often meaning 'and also', e.g., '他来了，并且带来了礼物' (He came and also brought a gift).

Can 并 be used in spoken Chinese?

Yes, but it is less common. In casual conversation, 还 or 而且 are more natural for adding ideas. 并 is mainly used in formal or written contexts, except in its adverbial negation usage (并不).

What is the difference between 并且 and 而且?

并且 is slightly more formal and emphasizes a succession or addition, while 而且 is more general and can be used in both formal and informal speech. They are often interchangeable in written Chinese, but 并且 is less common in everyday conversation.

Is 并 the same as 和?

No. 和 connects nouns or noun phrases (e.g., '我和他'), while 并 connects verbs or verb phrases (e.g., '讨论并通过'). Using 和 for verbs is incorrect.

Easily confusedHSK 5

并 vs 并且 (bìng vs bìngqiě): linking verbs vs clauses

Both 并 and 并且 mean 'and' but differ in scope and formality. 并 directly connects two verbs or verb phrases in formal writing, while 并且 is a conjunction that links two clauses or predicates, often adding 'and also' or 'moreover'. The particle 且 in 并且 makes the additive meaning explicit.

并 and 并且 both serve to connect elements meaning 'and', but they operate at different levels. 并 is used to link two verbs or verb phrases in a tight, parallel structure, typical in formal or written language (e.g., legal documents). 并且 is a conjunction that connects two clauses or predicates, emphasizing an additional action or attribute, similar to 'and also' or 'furthermore'. The extra syllable 且 in 并且 marks it as a full conjunction, making it more flexible and explicit.

When to use each

并bìng

and (formal)

Use 并 to directly connect two verbs or verb phrases in formal writing, especially in political, legal, or procedural contexts. It creates a tight bond between the actions, often implying simultaneity or sequence. It can also precede negative adverbs (e.g., 并不) but that is a separate adverbial usage.

When used to connect verbs, 并 is rarely used in casual conversation; instead, 还 or 而且 are preferred. Its adverbial use for emphasis of negation (e.g., 并不 'not at all') is common in both formal and informal contexts.

并且bìngqiě

and also

Use 并且 to connect two clauses or predicates, introducing an additional point or action. It often carries the meaning 'and also', 'moreover', or 'furthermore'. It is suitable for both written and spoken Chinese, though it remains somewhat formal. It can be used in patterns like '不但…并且…' (not only…but also…).

并且 can be followed by 也 or 还 for emphasis, and it is slightly more formal than 而且, though often interchangeable in written contexts.

At a glance

	并	并且
Connection type	Links two verbs/verb phrases	Links two clauses/predicates
Formality	More formal, primarily written	Neutral to formal, written and spoken
Emphasis	Terse, parallel connection	Explicit additive: 'and also'
Use with negation	Can precede negative adverbs (并不)	Rarely used directly before negation
Position	Between verbs, no comma needed	Between clauses, often after a comma

Examples

并
我们将讨论并通过这项提案。
Wǒmen jiāng tǎolùn bìng tōngguò zhè xiàng tí'àn.
We will discuss and pass this proposal.
并 tightly connects the two verbs 讨论 and 通过.
并且
他学习努力，并且成绩优秀。
Tā xuéxí nǔlì, bìngqiě chéngjī yōuxiù.
He studies hard and also gets excellent grades.
并且 introduces an additional attribute to the first clause.
并
政府决定整顿并优化服务体系。
Zhèngfǔ juédìng zhěngdùn bìng yōuhuà fúwù tǐxì.
The government decided to reorganize and optimize the service system.
并 connects two verbs in a formal context.
并且
他同意了，并且表示会全力支持。
Tā tóngyì le, bìngqiě biǎoshì huì quánlì zhīchí.
He agreed and also expressed full support.
并且 links two predicate clauses.
并且
我们不但要完成，并且要做得更好。
Wǒmen bùdàn yào wánchéng, bìngqiě yào zuò de gèng hǎo.
Not only must we finish, but also do it better.
并且 used in the '不(但)…并且…' structure.

Common mistakes

Using 并 instead of 并且 to connect full clauses: '他学习努力，并成绩优秀' is wrong; use 并且.
Overusing 并且 in tight verb pairs: '讨论并且通过' is grammatically correct but 并 is more natural in formal writing.
Using 并 to connect nouns: 并 only links verbs or verb phrases, not nouns; use 和 instead.
Confusing 并 with 和: 和 is for nouns, e.g., '我和他'; 并 is for verbs.

FAQ

When do I use 并 vs 并且?: Use 并 to directly connect two verbs or verb phrases in formal writing, e.g., '讨论并决定' (discuss and decide). Use 并且 to connect two clauses or predicates, often meaning 'and also', e.g., '他来了，并且带来了礼物' (He came and also brought a gift).
Can 并 be used in spoken Chinese?: Yes, but it is less common. In casual conversation, 还 or 而且 are more natural for adding ideas. 并 is mainly used in formal or written contexts, except in its adverbial negation usage (并不).
What is the difference between 并且 and 而且?: 并且 is slightly more formal and emphasizes a succession or addition, while 而且 is more general and can be used in both formal and informal speech. They are often interchangeable in written Chinese, but 并且 is less common in everyday conversation.
Is 并 the same as 和?: No. 和 connects nouns or noun phrases (e.g., '我和他'), while 并 connects verbs or verb phrases (e.g., '讨论并通过'). Using 和 for verbs is incorrect.