又…又… (yòu…yòu…): How to Say “Both … and …”
To stack two qualities, Chinese repeats 又 before each: Subject + 又 + Adj1 + 又 + Adj2 (他又高又帅 = “he's both tall and handsome”). The two must point the same way — both good or both bad.
Why this trips learners up
Want to pin two qualities on something at once — both tall and handsome, both cheap and tasty? Chinese uses a doubled marker: 又 + Adj1 + 又 + Adj2. 这个西瓜又甜又大 (“this watermelon is both sweet and big”), 他又高又帅 (“he's both tall and handsome”). It works with stative verbs too — 孩子们又唱又跳 (“the kids are both singing and dancing”).
Two things to lock in. First, 又 goes before both qualities — and you can't borrow 和 here, because 和 only joins nouns, never adjectives (他高和帅 is wrong; it's 他又高又帅). Second, the two qualities must match in feeling — both positive (又便宜又好吃) or both negative (又贵又难喝). The moment one is a plus and the other a minus, you've got a contrast, and that takes 但是 (“but”) instead: 便宜但是不好吃 (“cheap but not tasty”).
The structure
Colour key
Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.
Examples in context
Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.
Tap a word to see its grammatical role.
zhège xīguā 这个西瓜 Subject yòu 又 Pattern tián 甜 Adjective yòu 又 Pattern dà 大 Adjective
This watermelon is both sweet and big.
zhè jiàn yīfu 这件衣服 Subject yòu 又 Pattern ruǎn 软 Adjective yòu 又 Pattern shūfu 舒服 Adjective
This clothing is both soft and comfortable.
zhège fángjiān 这个房间 Subject yòu 又 Pattern xiǎo 小 Adjective yòu 又 Pattern luàn 乱 Adjective
This room is both small and messy.
zhège shǒujī 这个手机 Subject yòu 又 Pattern qīng 轻 Adjective yòu 又 Pattern hǎokàn 好看 Adjective
This phone is both light and good-looking.
háizimen 孩子们 Subject yòu 又 Pattern chàng 唱 Verb yòu 又 Pattern tiào 跳 Verb
The kids are both singing and dancing.
jīntiān 今天 Subject yòu 又 Pattern mēn 闷 Adjective yòu 又 Pattern rè 热 Adjective
Today is both stuffy and hot.
wǒ de xīn tóngshì 我的新同事 Subject yòu 又 Pattern nénggàn 能干 Adjective yòu 又 Pattern yǒuhǎo 友好 Adjective
My new colleague is both capable and friendly.
tīngdào 听到 Verb zhège xiāoxi 这个消息 Object tā 她 Subject yòu 又 Pattern jīng 惊 Verb yòu 又 Pattern xǐ 喜 Verb
Hearing the news, she was both surprised and delighted.
Common mistakes
Why it happens: 又 goes before BOTH qualities — don't drop the first. “This house is both big and bright” is 这个房子又大又亮, never 这个房子大又亮. Think of 又…又… as a matched pair, one in front of each quality.
Why it happens: 和 joins nouns, not adjectives, so you can't “and” two qualities with it. “He's tall and handsome” isn't 他高和帅 — for two adjectives it's the doubled 又: 他又高又帅. Save 和 for nouns (你和我, 茶和咖啡).
Why it happens: 又…又… only stacks qualities that point the SAME way — both good or both bad. “Cheap and ugly” mixes a plus and a minus, so it's not 又便宜又难看 — a contrast like that takes 但是: 便宜，但是难看 (“cheap, but ugly”).
Compare & contrast
| 又…又… — both (same feeling) | 但是 — but (a contrast) | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| 又便宜又好吃。yòu piányi yòu hǎochī. | 便宜但是不好吃。piányi dànshì bù hǎochī. | 又便宜又好吃 = “both cheap and tasty” — two pluses that go together. 便宜但是不好吃 = “cheap but not tasty” — a plus and a minus, so 但是. |
| 又快又安全。yòu kuài yòu ānquán. | 快但是不安全。kuài dànshì bù ānquán. | 又快又安全 = “both fast and safe” (two good things). 快但是不安全 = “fast but not safe” (a catch, so 但是). |
Try it yourself
Say “This dish is both fragrant and spicy” (又…又…) — tap the words into order.
Related patterns
Quick reference card
又…又… (yòu…yòu…): How to Say “Both … and …” grammar.merrymandarin.com A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.