X也X不……，Y也Y不…… for Two Blocked Actions in Chinese
X也X不……，Y也Y不……
This parallel spoken frame presents two actions as both impossible or unsuccessful in the current state: 吃也吃不下，睡也睡不着. Each branch first names an action, then repeats it after 也 with a negative potential or result complement. Parallel form links the two blocked actions into one vivid description.
Published July 27, 2026
Reviewed July 27, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Verb X + 也 + Verb X + Negative Potential Complement，Verb Y + 也 + Verb Y + Negative Potential Complement
Read the structure
This parallel spoken frame presents two actions as both impossible or unsuccessful in the current state: 吃也吃不下，睡也睡不着. Each branch first names an action, then repeats it after 也 with a negative potential or result complement. Parallel form links the two blocked actions into one vivid description. Keep the model Verb X + 也 + Verb X + Negative Potential Complement，Verb Y + 也 + Verb Y + Negative Potential Complement visible while you compare each sentence.
她担心得吃也吃不下，睡也睡不着。
She was so worried that she could neither eat nor sleep.
Choose the right context
Describe two actions that the subject cannot successfully carry out. Repeat each verb after 也 before its negative complement. Keep the two branches structurally parallel.
这个孩子赶也赶不走，留也留不住。
The child can neither be sent away nor persuaded to stay.
Respect the boundary
Do not separate 不 from its potential or result complement. Do not reverse the negative complement. Do not mix unrelated branch structures that destroy the parallel frame.
吃也不吃下，睡也睡不着。
(Unable to eat or sleep.)
Repair the pattern
不 is placed before the repeated verb: The second verb precedes the negative potential complement 不下. The negative complement is reversed: The negative potential form is 睡不着, not 睡着不.
吃也吃不下，睡也睡不着。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
她担心得吃也吃不下，睡也睡不着。
She was so worried that she could neither eat nor sleep.
她
Verb X
This part occupies the Verb X position in the model pattern.
担心
也
This part occupies the 也 position in the model pattern.
得
Verb X
This part occupies the Verb X position in the model pattern.
吃
Negative Potential Complement，Verb Y
This part occupies the Negative Potential Complement，Verb Y position in the model pattern.
也
也
This part occupies the 也 position in the model pattern.
吃不下
Verb Y
This part occupies the Verb Y position in the model pattern.
，
Negative Potential Complement
This part occupies the Negative Potential Complement position in the model pattern.
睡
Verb X
This part occupies the Verb X position in the model pattern.
也
也
This part occupies the 也 position in the model pattern.
睡
Verb X
This part occupies the Verb X position in the model pattern.
不着
Negative Potential Complement，Verb Y
This part occupies the Negative Potential Complement，Verb Y position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
她担心得吃也吃不下，睡也睡不着。
She was so worried that she could neither eat nor sleep.
这个孩子赶也赶不走，留也留不住。
The child can neither be sent away nor persuaded to stay.
我现在拿也拿不动，搬也搬不走。
Right now I can neither lift it nor move it away.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Describe two actions that the subject cannot successfully carry out.
- Repeat each verb after 也 before its negative complement.
- Keep the two branches structurally parallel.
Do not use it when
- Do not separate 不 from its potential or result complement.
- Do not reverse the negative complement.
- Do not mix unrelated branch structures that destroy the parallel frame.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
吃也不吃下，睡也睡不着。
吃也吃不下，睡也睡不着。
不 is placed before the repeated verb
The second verb precedes the negative potential complement 不下.
吃也吃不下，睡也睡着不。
吃也吃不下，睡也睡不着。
The negative complement is reversed
The negative potential form is 睡不着, not 睡着不.
吃也不吃下，睡也睡不着。
Use the repeated verb before 不下: 吃也吃不下.
吃也吃不下，睡也睡着不。
Use the negative potential order 睡不着.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with X也X不……，Y也Y不…….
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with X也X不……，Y也Y不……. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
X也X不……，Y也Y不…… for Two Blocked Actions Questions
Must the complements be the same?
No. Each verb takes the complement that expresses its own blocked result, such as 不下, 不着, 不走, or 不住.
Is 也 here the same as simple 'also'?
It helps build a repeated parallel frame: even doing X cannot achieve the result, and the same holds for Y.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: Appendix A, combined Levels 7–9 item 【七—九134】, 口语格式, PDF p. 258; assigned HSK 7 learning page
Defines the exact two-branch repeated-verb frame and gives 吃不下/睡不着 and 赶不走/留不住 examples.
Official sourceCVC A Level Mandarin: Vocabulary and Grammar Book 1
Mr Fan · UCL IOE Confucius Institute for Schools · 2023
Locator: Lesson 16 grammar, potential complements, printed pp. 76–77; full PDF body opened
Explains that potential complements derive from result and direction complements and follow the verb, supporting the negative complement slot in each branch.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Easy to confuse
动词＋得/不得Potential Complement with 得 or 不得
The parallel frame uses negative potential outcomes, while V不得 is a narrower established lexical pattern.
Learn first
趋向补语Simple Directional Complements
Recognize directional results such as 下 and 走 before negating their attainability in each branch.
Continue learning
打开/看见/离开/完成Result Verbs and Achieved Endpoints
Analyze the action-result units that become blocked outcomes such as 睡不着 and 留不住.
Easy to confuse
重动词Repeated Verb Around a Complement
Both repeat verbs around added material, but this frame repeats each verb before a negative result.
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Easy to confuse
The parallel frame uses negative potential outcomes, while V不得 is a narrower established lexical pattern.