HSK 5
X是它，Y也是它
X shì tā ， Y yě shì tā
Grammar point: X是它，Y也是它
Explanation
X是它，Y也是它 is a colloquial way of speaking that emphasizes that whether situation X or situation Y occurs, the result is still exactly the same, unchanged.
X + 是它 shì tā (is it / is so)，Y + 也是它 yě shì tā (is also it / is also so). X and Y are two opposite or different possibilities (好/坏 good/bad, 成功/失败 success/failure). 它 (tā, "it") here does NOT refer to a specific object but implies collectively one single outcome/choice.
When you want to say "no matter what, there is only one result / one choice", expressing helplessness, firmness, or acceptance. This is a colloquial expression, usually followed by a concluding sentence (你没有别的选择 — you have no other choice).
Vietnamese learners often translate 它 literally as "that animal" and find it confusing; you need to understand 它 is just a symbolic way of saying "the same one thing". Do not replace 它 with a concrete noun — the whole phrase is a fixed expression.
Examples
Good is it, bad is also it, you have no other choice.
Success is it, failure is also it, this choice I will absolutely not regret.
Waiting one hour is the same, waiting two hours is the same, I can only take this one bus home.
Practice
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Learn “X是它，Y也是它” effectively
The grammar point “X是它，Y也是它” (Grammar point: X是它，Y也是它) is one of the key structures at HSK 5. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
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