HSK 6
不但不...反而... (bùdàn...fǎn'ér) in Chinese
不但不...反而... presents a result that does more than fail to meet an expectation: the opposite or a more surprising result occurs instead. 不但不 or 不但没有 rejects the expected outcome, and 反而 introduces the reversal. The two parts should form a meaningful expectation contrast, not merely list unrelated negative and positive facts.
STRUCTURE
不但不/没 + A, 反而 + Opposite B
When to use 不但不/不但没有…反而… — and when not
Use it when
- For an opposite result: 这场雨不但没有降温，反而让天气更闷热。
- To criticize an unexpected response: 他不但不道歉，反而责怪我。
- When an attempted improvement makes matters worse: 新规定不但没解决问题，反而增加了成本。
Don't use it when
- For two ordinary additive facts with no reversed expectation; use 不但...而且... instead.
- Do not stack 反而 directly after 不但不 before the rejected expectation.
- Do not use the frame when the second clause is unrelated to what the first clause leads the listener to expect.
Right vs. wrong
这场雨不但不反而降温，让天气更热了。
这场雨不但没有降温，反而让天气更热了。
反而 is stacked with 不但不 before the expected result
The first part must name the unrealized expectation 降温; 反而 then introduces the opposite outcome.
他不但不道歉，还责怪反而我。
他不但不道歉，反而责怪我。
反而 is placed after the verb it should modify
反而 introduces the reversed predicate 责怪我 and must precede that predicate.
Examples
这场雨不但没有降温，反而让天气更闷热。
Zhè chǎng yǔ bùdàn méiyǒu jiàngwēn, fǎn'ér ràng tiānqì gèng mēnrè.
The rain not only failed to cool things down but made the weather muggier.
他不但不道歉，反而责怪我。
Tā bùdàn bù dàoqiàn, fǎn'ér zéguài wǒ.
Instead of apologizing, he blamed me.
新规定不但没解决问题，反而增加了成本。
Xīn guīdìng bùdàn méi jiějué wèntí, fǎn'ér zēngjiā le chéngběn.
The new rule did not solve the problem and instead increased costs.
Common mistakes
这场雨不但不反而降温，让天气更热了。
Zhè chǎng yǔ bùdàn bù fǎn'ér jiàngwēn, ràng tiānqì gèng rè le.
Name the failed expectation first, then use 反而: 不但没有降温，反而让天气更热了。
他不但不道歉，还责怪反而我。
Tā bùdàn bù dàoqiàn, hái zéguài fǎn'ér wǒ.
Put 反而 before the reversed predicate: 反而责怪我。
Think you've got it?
Write your own 不但不/不但没有…反而… sentence and check that grammar point first.
不但不...反而... (bùdàn...fǎn'ér) FAQ
How is 不但不...反而... different from 不但...而且...?
不但...而且... adds a second fact. 不但不...反而... says the expected result did not happen and an opposite or more surprising result happened instead.
Can the first part use 没有 instead of 不?
Yes. Use 不 for habits, judgments, or non-occurrence in suitable contexts and 没有 or 没 for completed or realized outcomes, such as 不但没解决，反而更严重.