Difference between revisions of "Expressing "even" with "shenzhi""

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甚至 (shènzhì) is similar that of "even" in English. It can be used as a conjunction and an adverb.
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甚至 (shènzhì) is similar that of "even" in English.  
  
When used as a conjunction, it is generally used towards the end of the sentence, when the speaker realizes that they maybe haven't gone far enough, and want to take the idea one step further. In English, using even in this sense seems a bit wordy, but this progression from one idea to another is used a lot in Chinese.
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When used as a conjunction, it is generally used to emphasize the last idea of the sentence. Sometimes this kind of sentence has the feeling that the speaker realizes half way through the sentence that they haven't gone far enough, and want to take the idea one step further.  
  
 
   
 
   
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* 看 到 他 前 女友 的 照片 让 他 感到 遗憾 <em>甚至</em> 痛苦。
 
* 在 中国,不但 教育 水平 高 的 人 会 背诵 唐诗, <em>甚至</em> 连 小 孩子 都 会。
 
* 在 中国,不但 教育 水平 高 的 人 会 背诵 唐诗, <em>甚至</em> 连 小 孩子 都 会。
* 看 到 他 前 女友 的 照片 让 他 感到 遗憾 <em>甚至</em> 痛苦。
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When used as an adverb, 甚至 is often used in this structure:
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甚至 can also be used as an adverb, and is often used like this:
 
   
 
   
  
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This feels a lot more like the English usage of "even".
 
  
 
Some examples:
 
Some examples:
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* 中 国 的 网速 慢 得 让 我 <em>甚至</em> 想 打 人!
 
* 中 国 的 网速 慢 得 让 我 <em>甚至</em> 想 打 人!
 
* 天气 热 得 我<em>甚至</em> 没有 胃口 了。
 
* 天气 热 得 我<em>甚至</em> 没有 胃口 了。
** 他 骑 自行车 骑 得 <em>甚至</em> 比 汽车 跑 得 还 快。。
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* 他 骑 自行车 骑 得 <em>甚至</em> 比 汽车 跑 得 还 快。
  
  

Revision as of 04:07, 21 October 2011

甚至 (shènzhì) is similar that of "even" in English.


When used as a conjunction, it is generally used to emphasize the last idea of the sentence. Sometimes this kind of sentence has the feeling that the speaker realizes half way through the sentence that they haven't gone far enough, and want to take the idea one step further.


For example:

  • 看 到 他 前 女友 的 照片 让 他 感到 遗憾 甚至 痛苦。
  • 在 中国,不但 教育 水平 高 的 人 会 背诵 唐诗, 甚至 连 小 孩子 都 会。



甚至 can also be used as an adverb, and is often used like this:


adj + 得 + 甚至 + verb + object


Some examples:

  • 中 国 的 网速 慢 得 让 我 甚至 想 打 人!
  • 天气 热 得 我甚至 没有 胃口 了。
  • 他 骑 自行车 骑 得 甚至 比 汽车 跑 得 还 快。


??热得甚至连我都吃不下饭。。。 热得连我都甚至吃不下饭 热得热得甚至我都吃不下饭


不但 (bùdàn) and 甚至 can be used to form a structure similar to 不但...而且 (bùdàn...érqiě), meaning "not only...even". 甚至 is often followed by the 连...都 (lián...dōu) structure to add further emphasis.