不但
HSK 3 (exam 2025)HSK 2 (2021)
不但 (bùdàn) · not only (... but also ...)
不但 (bùdàn) means “not only (... but also ...)”. It is written with 2 characters: 不 (not) + 但 (but). It is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 不但 is built
The characters
不 bù · not
What 不 is made of
- 一 — horizontal stroke
Origin hint: A bird flying toward the sky 一 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
但 dàn · but
What 但 is made of
- 亻rén — person
- 旦dàn — dawn
- 日rì — sun; day
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 日rì — sun; day
Example sentences
他不但会说汉语，而且会写汉字。Tā bùdàn huì shuō Hànyǔ, érqiě huì xiě Hànzì.He can not only speak Chinese but also write characters.
这个菜不但好吃，而且便宜。Zhège cài bùdàn hǎochī, érqiě piányi.This dish is not only tasty but also cheap.
Questions about 不但
What does 不但 mean?
不但 (bùdàn) means “not only (... but also ...)”.
How do you pronounce 不但?
不但 is pronounced bùdàn.
Which HSK level is 不但?
不但 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021).
Related words
- 不大bùdànot very
- 不对bùduìwrong
- 不客气bùkèqiyou are welcome
- 不用bùyòngno need
- 对不起duìbuqǐsorry
- 是不是shìbushìis it or not
- 不错bùcuònot bad
- 不够bùgòunot enough
- 不过bùguòbut
- 不太bùtàinot very
Learn 不但 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 31: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.