Level 3 Lesson 4.2 – HSK不但考了，而且成绩是班里最好的。

GRAMMAR

Grammar 1. 施事主语 vs. 受事主语

Shīshì Zhǔyǔ vs. Shòushì Zhǔyǔ ▸ Subject that performs an action vs. Subject that receives an action

In Chinese there can be two types of 主语 (Zhǔyǔ ▸ Subject), 施事主语 (Shīshì Zhǔyǔ ▸ a Subject that performs an action) and 受事主语 (Shǒushì Zhǔyǔ ▸ a Subject that receives an action).

施事主语 example sentences:

In the sentence below, 你 is the Subject of the sentence, and because the action 拿 is performed by 你, 你 is a 施事主语.

Nǐ ná yǎnjìng le ma?
你拿眼镜了吗？
(Did) you take (the) glasses?

In the sentence below, 他 is the Subject of the sentence, and because the action 说 is performed by 他, 他 is a 施事主语.

Tā shuō Pǔtōnghuà shuō de tèbié hǎo.
他说普通话说得特别好。
He speaks Standard Chinese very well.

受事主语 example sentences:

In the sentence below, 眼镜 is the Subject of the sentence. The action 拿 is performed by someone not mentioned in the sentence, but the action 拿 is received by 眼镜. Therefore, 眼镜 is a 受事主语.

Yǎnjìng ná le ma?
眼镜拿了吗？
(Have) the glasses (been) taken?

In the sentence below, (他的)普通话 is the Subject of the sentence. The action 说 is not performed, but received by 普通话. Therefore, 他的普通话 is a 受事主语.

Tā de Pǔtōnghuà shuō de tèbié hǎo.
他的普通话说得特别好。
His Standard Chinese is spoken very well.

❖ In Chinese, 受事主语 is used a lot more than 被动句 (Bèidòng Jù ▸ Passive Sentences), which grammatically can be considered as the equivalent of the Passive Voice in English. Below are more examples.

受事主语

Shòushì Zhǔyǔ ▸ Subject that receives an action

• Zhè tào fángzi yǐjīng mài le.
  这套房子已经卖了。
  This set of house or apartment has already been sold.
• Kùzi huàn le ba, tài zāng le.
  裤子换了吧，太脏了。
  Pants should be changed, they are too dirty.
• 《Pūtōnghuà》Dì shí’èr kè yǐjīng xué guo le, Shísān Kè hái méi xué.
  《普通话》第十二课已经学过了，十三课还没学。
  Lesson 12 of Standard Chinese has already been learned, Lesson 13 has not been learned yet.

Grammar 2. 不但……而且……

búdàn……érqiě…… ▸ not only...but also...

We can use 不但……而且 to say not only but also in Chinese. When we say 不但A而且B, what is stated in B has to go further than what is stated in A.

Grammatically, 不但 and 而且 are both 连词 (Liáncí ▸ conj.). We can use them

1. to link two 词 (Cí ▸ Word) or two 短语 (Duǎnyǔ ▸ Phrase) together to form a 单句 (Dānjù ▸ Simple Sentence), or
2. to link two 分句 (Fēnjù ▸ Clause) to form a 复句 (Fùjù ▸ Complex Sentence).

(1) 不但……而且…… linking two words or phrases:

• Zhèr de shēnghuó bùdàn fāngbiàn, érqiě piányi.
  这儿的生活不但方便而且便宜。
  Life here is not only convenient but also inexpensive.
• Xiǎo Dài búdàn hěn niánqīng, érqiě hěn piàoliang.
  小戴不但很年轻而且很漂亮。
  Little Dai is not only young but also pretty.

(2) 不但……而且…… linking two clauses:

• Yéye niánqīng de shíhou búdàn hěn shuài, érqiě duì nǎinai tèbié hǎo.
  爷爷年轻的时候不但很帅，而且对奶奶特别好。
  When grandpa was young, he was not only handsome but also very good to grandma.
• Cài búdàn zuò le, érqiě jiǔ yě zhǔnbèi le.
  菜不但做了，而且酒也准备了。
  Not only have the dishes been made, but also the wine has been prepared.
• Wǒ búdàn sòng tā qù jīchǎng le, érqiě tā huílai de shíhou wǒ yě qù jiē tā le.
  我不但送他去机场了，而且他回来的时候我也去接他了。
  I not only took him to the airport, but also picked him up when he came back.