Expressing "even" with "lian" and "dou"

"连... 都/也..." (lián... dōu/yě...) is a pattern that can be used to emphasize certain unexpected or surprising events or information. It is used the same way even is in English.

连 Followed By Noun

Basic Structure

连 + Noun + 也/都 + Adj. / Verb

Examples

• 这个 汉字 太 难 了，连 我 的 中文 老师 也 不 认识。This Chinese character is so difficult that even my Chinese teacher doesn't know it.
• 这个 问题 太 容易 了，连小孩儿都知道。This question is so easy that even kids would know.
• 我们 家 人人 都 炒股，连 我 奶奶 也 炒。Everyone in my family plays the stock market, even my grandma does.
• 他 最近 忙 死了，连吃饭 的 时间也没有。He's been super busy lately that he doesn't even have time to eat.
• 你 要 跟 他 结婚？可是 你们 连 面 都 没 见 过！ Do you want to marry him? But you guys haven't even met each other!
• 你 怎么 这么 穷？ 连 一 顿 饭 都 请 不起。How could you be so poor? You can't even buy one meal for someone.
• 你们 怎么 连 这么 简单 的 事情 都 做 不 好？太 让 我 失望 了！ How can you guys mess up even the simplest thing? It makes me so disappointed.
• 她 从 早 到 晚 都 在 玩 手机，连 上 厕所 的时候 都 在 玩。She plays with her phone all day and every day, even when she is using the bathroom.
• 我们 家 是 老婆 管钱。我 连 吃饭 的 钱 都 要 找 她 要。 Our family's money is managed by the wife. I have to find her even for food money.
• 你 连 东 西 南 北 都 分 不 清，怎么 做 我们 的 导游？ You can't even distinguish north, south, east and west. How can you be our tour guide?

连 Followed By Verb

The verb used in this structure is mostly one syllable verb.

Advanced Structure

连 + Verb + 也 / 都 + 不 / 没 + Verb（，就……）

Using this type of sentence structure emphasizes "not even at all..."

Examples

• 我 连 见 都 没 见 过。 I didn't meet him at all.
• 你 怎么 连 想 都 不 想？ How did you not think about it at all?
• 他 连 看 都 没 看，就 说 我 的 衣服 很 难看。 He didn't even look at them at all, he just said my clothes were ugly.
• 他 连 问 都 不 问，就 把 我们 的 东西 扔 掉 了 。 He didn't even ask at all, he just threw away my stuff.
• 你们 连 尝 都 没 尝，怎么 知道 不 好吃？ You guys didn't even taste it at all, how do you know that it tastes bad?

See also

• "Even" as "shenzhi"
• Expressing "every" with "mei" and "dou"
• "Not at all"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (pp. 152)→buy
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 356-7)→buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 136) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 204-5) →buy