Comparison among coordinative structures yòu… yòu… 又……又…… ‘both… and…’, yìbiān… yìbiān… 一边/一邊……一边/一邊…… ‘… while … at the same time’ and …, yě… ……,也…… ‘…, and also…’

HSK2 TBCL2

又……又…… ‘both… and…’ indicates that the subject performs two concurrent actions that coexist within the same general time frame, or can express the coexistence of two qualities or attributes of the same subject. The pattern yìbiān… yìbiān… 一边/一邊……一边/一邊…… ‘… while … at the same time’ expresses two simultaneous actions performed by the subject. The pattern , yě… ……,也……‘…, and (also)…’ is often used to express sameness or similarity between two or more things related to the same subject or to different subjects. With one subject, it links parallel actions or states for emphasis. Across subjects, it highlights shared traits or actions.

For explanation of the structure, check Coordinative structure with yòu… yòu… 又……又…… ‘both… and…’ ,Structure with yìbiān… yìbiān… 一边/一邊……一边/一邊…… “… while … at the same time” and Coordinative structure with …, yě… ……,也…… ‘…, and (also)…’

Differences

1. Expressing two actions performed by the subject

All three patterns can describe two or more actions carried out by the subject. However, yòu… yòu… 又……又…… ‘both… and…’ indicates that two concurrent actions occur within the same general time frame, indicating that they having been done altogether, but not necessarily on strict simultaneity.

她又看书又听音乐,我觉得不太好。
她又看書又聽音樂,我覺得不太好。
Tā yòu kàn shū yòu tīng yīnyuè, wǒ juéde bú tài hǎo.
I don’t think it’s a good idea for her to read books and listen to music at the same time.

Yìbiān… yìbiān… 一边/一邊……一边/一邊…… ‘… while … at the same time’ emphasizes that the subject carries out two actions at once, indicating that they have been done at the same time, highlighting simultaneity.

她一边看书一边听音乐。
她一邊看書一邊聽音樂。
Tā yìbiān kàn shū yìbiān tīng yīnyuè.
She likes to read while listening to music.

Sometimes, the simultaneity expressed by yìbiān… yìbiān… 一边/一邊……一边/一邊…… may extend over a relatively long period of time, during which the subject performs two ongoing activities at the same time.

在中国时,我姐姐一边学习一边打工。
在中國時,我姐姐一邊學習一邊打工。
Zài Zhōngguó shí, wǒ jiějie yìbiān xuéxí yìbiān dǎ gōng.
While in China, my sister worked while studying.
(The sentence emphasizes that she performed the two actions at the same time, but the time frame considered is longer including the whole permanence in China.)

Yòu… yòu…又…又… can mention the same two activities and simply states that both were happening during that period, without highlighting simultaneity.

在中国时,我姐姐又学习又打工。
在中國時,我姐姐又學習又打工。
Zài Zhōngguó shí, wǒ jiějie yòu xuéxí yòu dǎ gōng.
Back in China, my sister both studied and worked.
(The sentence highlights that she engaged in both activities, without stressing simultaneity.)

Note that, the pattern yìbiān… yìbiān… 一边/一邊……一边/一邊…… focuses on simultaneity and cannot be followed by verbs expressing willness or intention (e.g., xiǎng 想 ‘to wish’,yào 要 ‘to want’), psychological activities (e.g., xǐhuān 喜欢 ‘to like’,juéde 觉得 ‘to feel’) or modal verbs (e.g., huì 会 ‘to be able’,néng 能 ‘to can’). In these cases, the patterns yòu… yòu… 又……又…… or … yě… ……也…… can be used.

你又想出去玩儿,又想在家休息,所以我们要做什么?
你又想出去玩兒,又想在家休息,所以我們要做什麼?
Nǐ yòu xiǎng chūqù wánr, yòu xiǎng zài jiā xiūxi, suǒyǐ wǒmen yào zuò shénme?
You want to go out and have fun, but you also want to stay home and rest. So what should we do?
她会唱歌,也会跳舞。
她會唱歌,也會跳舞。
Tā huì chàng gē, yě huì tiào wǔ.
She can sing and (also) dance.

The pattern …, … ……,也…… ‘…, and (also)…’ cannot be used to express two concurrent actions on strict simultaneity. The reason is that …, … ……,也…… ‘…, and (also)…’ focuses on the similarity instead of ongoing events. That is, the two events should have something in common, no matter they occur at the same time or not.

在中国的时侯,我姐姐用功学习,也交了不少中国朋友。
在中國的時侯,我姐姐用功學習,也交了不少中國朋友。
While in China, my sister worked hard at her studies and made many Chinese friends.
(The similarity emphasized in the sentence is that the two actions share the same time frame.)
她喜欢看书,也喜欢听音乐。
她喜歡看書,也喜歡聽音樂。
Tā xǐhuan kàn shū, yě xǐhuan tīng yīnyuè.
She likes reading and (also) listening to music.
(The sentence simply adds a second preference.)
To learn more about the pattern yìbiān… yìbiān… 一边/一邊……一边/一邊…… with two different subjects, check Structure with yìbiān… yìbiān… 一边/一邊……一边/一邊…… “… while … at the same time”

2. Expressing two qualities or states of the subject

The pattern yòu… yòu… 又……又…… ‘both… and…’ can emphasize the coexistence of two qualities or states of the same subject. In this use, each yòu 又 is usually followed by an adjective functioning as a predicate, and it cannot be preceded by adverbs of degree, such as hěn 很 ‘very’. The pattern …, yě… ……,也…… ‘…, and (also)…’ can also be used in this way, but its tone is more neutral, as it simply adds another characteristic of the subject which is in some way similar to the previous one. In this structure, adverbs of degree can be used with this pattern. By contrast, yìbiān… yìbiān… 一边/一邊……一边/一邊…… focuses on two simultaneous actions and is not used to describe two qualities of a subject.

她又年轻又可爱。
她又年輕又可愛。
Tā yòu niánqīng yòu kě’ài.
She is both young and cute.
小狗又饿又渴。
小狗又餓又渴。
Xiǎo gǒu yòu è yòu kě.
The puppy is both hungry and thirsty.
这个房间很大,也很干净。
这个房间很大,也很干净。
Zhè gè fángjiān hěn dà, yě hěn gānjìng.
The room is large and clean.
这只猫很可爱,也很安静。
這只貓很可愛,也很安靜。
Zhè zhǐ māo hěn kě'ài, yě hěn ānjìng.
This cat is cute and quiet.

Note that, verb phrases describing the subject’s identity or state, such as shì 是 ‘to be’, yǒu 有 ‘to have’ or dāng 当/當 ‘to serve as’, can also appear with the pattern yòu… yòu… 又……又…… or … yě… ……也……, but never with yìbiān… yìbiān… 一边/一邊……一边/一邊…….

他又是英国人又是意大利人。
他又是英国人又是意大利人。
Tā yòu shì Yīngguórén yòu shì Yìdàlìrén.
He is both English and Italian.
他是老师,也是作家。
他是老師,也是作家。
Tā shì lǎoshī, yě shì zuòjiā.
He is a teacher and also a writer.
他又有钱又有才。
他又有錢又有才。
Tā yòu yǒu qián yòu yǒu cái.
He is both rich and talented.
他是老师也是学生。
他是老師也是學生。
Tā shì lǎoshī, yě shì xuéshēng.
He is both a teacher and a student.