Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not even one""
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{{Grammar Box}} | {{Grammar Box}} | ||
| − | + | In English we might want to say something like "I have absolutely no money, not even one penny." Expressing that "not even one" can take one of several forms, all of which are common in everyday Chinese. | |
| − | In English we might want to say something like "I have absolutely no money, not even one penny." | ||
== Basic Pattern == | == Basic Pattern == | ||
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=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
| − | This structure is usually used for emphasizing how little of something | + | This structure is usually used for emphasizing how little of something there is. The measure word in the middle of the sentence and the noun should be compatible with the verb at the end. |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | 一 + Measure Word + | + | 一 + Measure Word + Noun + [也 / 都] + [不 / 没] + Verb |
</div> | </div> | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * | + | *他 <em>一</em> 句 话 <em>都</em> 没 说 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yī</em> jù huà <em>dōu</em> méi shuō.</span><span class="trans">He didn't say a thing.</span> |
*他 <em>一</em> 句 中文 <em>都</em> 不 会 说 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yī</em> jù Zhōngwén <em>dōu</em> bù huì shuō.</span><span class="trans">He can't speak one sentence of Chinese.</span> | *他 <em>一</em> 句 中文 <em>都</em> 不 会 说 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yī</em> jù Zhōngwén <em>dōu</em> bù huì shuō.</span><span class="trans">He can't speak one sentence of Chinese.</span> | ||
| − | *为什么 这里 <em>一</em> 个 人 <em>都</em> 没有 ？ <span class="pinyin">Wèishénme zhèlǐ <em>yī</em> gè rén <em>dōu</em> méiyǒu? </span><span class="trans">Why | + | *为什么 这里 <em>一</em> 个 人 <em>都</em> 没有 ？ <span class="pinyin">Wèishénme zhèlǐ <em>yī</em> gè rén <em>dōu</em> méiyǒu? </span><span class="trans">Why is there not a single person here? </span> |
| − | * | + | *我 <em>一</em> 口 <em>都</em> 没 吃 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yī</em> kǒu <em>dōu</em> méi chī.</span><span class="trans">I haven't had a single bite.</span> |
| − | * | + | *来 上海 以前 ， 他 <em>一</em> 个 外国 朋友 <em>都</em> 没有 。 <span class="pinyin">Lái Shànghǎi yǐqián, tā <em>yī</em> gè wàiguó péngyou <em>dōu</em> méiyǒu.</span><span class="trans">He didn't have a single foreign friend before coming to Shanghai.</span> |
| − | * | + | *她 <em>一</em> 瓶 可乐 <em>也</em> 没 喝 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>yī</em> píng kělè <em>yě</em> méi hē.</span><span class="trans">She didn't drink a single bottle of cola.</span> |
| − | * | + | *我 <em>一</em>点 消息 <em>都</em> 不 知道 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yī</em> diǎn xiāoxi <em>dōu</em> bù zhīdào.</span><span class="trans">I don't know a single thing.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
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<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | Topic + Subj. + 一 + Measure Word + | + | Topic + Subj. + 一 + Measure Word + Noun + [也 / 都] + Verb |
</div> | </div> | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *<strong>这个 人</strong> 我 <em>一</em> 次 <em> | + | *<strong>这个 人</strong> 我 <em>一</em> 次 <em>也</em> 没 见 过 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Zhège rén </strong>wǒ <em>yī</em> cì <em>yě</em> méi jiàn guo.</span><span class="trans">I've never met this person even once.</span> |
*<strong>这样 的 菜</strong> 我 <em>一</em> 次 <em>也</em> 没 吃 过 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Zhèyàng de cài </strong> wǒ <em>yī</em> cì <em>yě</em> méi chī guo.</span><span class="trans">I've never eaten this kind of food before.</span> | *<strong>这样 的 菜</strong> 我 <em>一</em> 次 <em>也</em> 没 吃 过 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Zhèyàng de cài </strong> wǒ <em>yī</em> cì <em>yě</em> méi chī guo.</span><span class="trans">I've never eaten this kind of food before.</span> | ||
*<strong>这 次 活动</strong> 我们 公司 <em>一</em>个 人 <em>也</em> 没 参加 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Zhè cì huódòng </strong>wǒmen gōngsī <em>yī</em> gè rén <em>yě</em> méi cānjiā.</span><span class="trans">Not one person in our company has participated in this activity.</span> | *<strong>这 次 活动</strong> 我们 公司 <em>一</em>个 人 <em>也</em> 没 参加 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Zhè cì huódòng </strong>wǒmen gōngsī <em>yī</em> gè rén <em>yě</em> méi cānjiā.</span><span class="trans">Not one person in our company has participated in this activity.</span> | ||
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)|153}} | {{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)|153}} | ||
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|37 - 9}} | {{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|37 - 9}} | ||
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[[Category:B2 grammar points]] | [[Category:B2 grammar points]] | ||
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{{Similar|Expressing "not at all" with "yidianr ye bu"}} | {{Similar|Expressing "not at all" with "yidianr ye bu"}} | ||
{{Similar|Expressing "even" with "lian" and "dou"}} | {{Similar|Expressing "even" with "lian" and "dou"}} | ||
| + | {{Similar|Advanced uses of "lian"}} | ||
{{Used for|Describing things}} | {{Used for|Describing things}} | ||
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}} | {{Structure|Sentence Patterns}} | ||
Latest revision as of 06:25, 12 April 2024
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
In English we might want to say something like "I have absolutely no money, not even one penny." Expressing that "not even one" can take one of several forms, all of which are common in everyday Chinese.
Contents
Basic Pattern
Structure
This structure is usually used for emphasizing how little of something there is. The measure word in the middle of the sentence and the noun should be compatible with the verb at the end.
一 + Measure Word + Noun + [也 / 都] + [不 / 没] + Verb
Examples
- 他 一 句 话 都 没 说 。 He didn't say a thing.
- 他 一 句 中文 都 不 会 说 。 He can't speak one sentence of Chinese.
- 为什么 这里 一 个 人 都 没有 ？ Why is there not a single person here?
- 我 一 口 都 没 吃 。 I haven't had a single bite.
- 来 上海 以前 ， 他 一 个 外国 朋友 都 没有 。 He didn't have a single foreign friend before coming to Shanghai.
- 她 一 瓶 可乐 也 没 喝 。 She didn't drink a single bottle of cola.
- 我 一点 消息 都 不 知道 。 I don't know a single thing.
Advanced Pattern
Structure
If you want to put the topic of your conversation at the beginning of the sentence, make sure the comment which follows has a strong emphasis or some kind of extreme quality.
Topic + Subj. + 一 + Measure Word + Noun + [也 / 都] + Verb
Examples
- 这个 人 我 一 次 也 没 见 过 。 I've never met this person even once.
- 这样 的 菜 我 一 次 也 没 吃 过 。I've never eaten this kind of food before.
- 这 次 活动 我们 公司 一个 人 也 没 参加 。 Not one person in our company has participated in this activity.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- HSK Standard Course 3 (pp. 4) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 153) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 37 - 9) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
