Difference between revisions of "Advanced uses of "dou""

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In its simplest terms, 都 (dōu) means "all," but there are also many other advanced uses for it.  
 
In its simplest terms, 都 (dōu) means "all," but there are also many other advanced uses for it.  
  

Revision as of 00:18, 25 October 2020

Chinese-grammar-wiki-dou.jpg

In its simplest terms, 都 (dōu) means "all," but there are also many other advanced uses for it.

都 meaning "to the point that"

都 can also mean 甚至, meaning "even to the point that," and in this form it expresses emphasis.

Subj. + 都 + Predicate

Examples

  • 能 闻见 面包 的 香味 。dōu néng wén jiànmiàn bāo de xiāngwèi.I can even smell the aroma of bread.
  • 他的 记忆力 很 好,去年 发生 的 事情 他 能 说 出来。Tā de jìyìlì hěn hǎo, qùnián fāshēng de shìqíng tā dōu néng shuō chūlái.His memory is amazing. He can even tell you what happened last year.
  • 我 对 你 太 了解 了 ,我 能 知道 你 下 一步 要 做 什么 。Wǒ duì nǐ tài liǎojiěle, wǒ dōu néng zhīdào nǐ xià yībù yào zuò shénme.I know you too well. I can even tell what your next move is.
  • 你 说的 那些 我 能 想象 得到。Nǐ shuō dì nàxiē wǒ dōu néng xiǎngxiàng dédào.I can imagine what you said.
  • 现在 网络 购物 很 方便,你 需要 在 网上 能 买得到。Xiànzài wǎngluò gòuwù hěn fāngbiàn, nǐ xūyào zài wǎngshàng dōu néng mǎi dédào.It's so convenient to shop online now, you need Internet just to be able to buy things.
  • 我 很 想 妈妈 ,有时候 我 能 看见 她 。Wǒ hěn xiǎng Māmā, yǒu shíhòu wǒ dōu néng kànjiàn tā.I really miss Mom. Sometimes I can even see her.

都 meaning "since..., then..."

都 can also mean "既然⋯⋯就", meaning "Since ..., in that case...“ A simple example would be 他都不说汉语,别跟他讲话, meaning "Since he does not speak Chinese, so don't talk with him."

都 + 小句,主句

Examples

  • 这么 说 了 ,你 还 好意思 再 找 他 帮忙 ?dōu zhème shuōle, nǐ hái hǎoyìsi zài zhǎo tā bāngmáng?Even after he said that, you still have the gall to ask for his help?
  • 来 了 , 就 先 别 急着 走 了 。Lái dōu láile, jiù xiān bié jízhuó zǒule.I'm here already. No need to be in such a hurry to leave.
  • 去 了 , 就 好好 玩 吧。dōu qùle, jiù hǎo hǎowán ba.Go all the way, just have fun.
  • 说 了 , 就别说这是什么秘密了。Shuō dōu shuōle, jiù bié shuō zhè shì shénme mìmìle.Say what you want to say, just don't spill secrets.

都 can also have have a tone of complaint

It often has a tone of grumbling or complaint, and it is often used with 怨 or 怪.

都 + 怨 / 是 / 怪 + Somebody

Examples

  • 怪 你,出门 不 带 伞。Dōu guài nǐ, chūmén bù dài sǎn.It's all your fault, leaving without bringing an umbrella.
  • 是 你,害 我 跑 这么 远。Dōu shì nǐ, hài wǒ pǎo zhème yuǎn.It's your fault, making me go all that way.
  • 怨 你,不 提前 订 好 座位。Dōu yuàn nǐ, bù tíqián dìng hǎo zuòwèi.I blame you for not making the reservation earlier in the day.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries

HSK5