N1 Listing and Enumeration

~(で)もあり~(で)もある: meaning, usage and examples

~(で)もあり~(で)もある means: is both... and...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 彼かれは私わたしの親友しんゆうでもあり、ライバルでもあります。

   He is both my best friend and my rival.

2. この仕事しごとは、厳きびしくもあり、楽たのしくもある。

   This job is both tough and fun.

3. 佐藤さとうさんは医師いしでもあり、作家さっかでもある。

   Mr. Sato is both a doctor and a writer.

4. 一人暮ひとりぐらしは気楽きらくでもあり、少すこし寂さびしくもある。

   Living alone is relaxing, but also a little lonely.

When to use it

Says that one person or thing has two qualities or roles at the same time, often ones that pull in different directions. Example: 卒業そつぎょうはうれしくもあり、寂さびしくもある (Graduating is both happy and sad). Common for mixed feelings and for people with two roles (父親ちちおやでもあり上司じょうしでもある).

Nuance

Neutral to slightly formal; fits both writing and careful speech. Often expresses complex or mixed emotions, which gives it a reflective tone. Both halves describe the same subject, and the order of the two halves can usually be swapped.

Compare

～し～し lists reasons: 優やさしいし面白おもしろい. ～と同時どうじに stresses two facts at once: 医者いしゃであると同時どうじに作家さっかだ. ～でもあり～でもある presents two sides of one thing evenly, often two contrasting feelings at once: 楽たのしくもあり、怖こわくもある.

Tip: With い-adjectives, use くもあり (楽たのしくもあり), not でもあり. Writing 楽たのしいでもあり is a common learner mistake on tests.