Advanced uses of "lian"

连⋯⋯都⋯⋯ (lián... dōu...) 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 as "Not at All"

Structure

连 + Verb + 都 + 不 / 没 + Verb (，就 ⋯⋯)

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

Examples

• 朋友 ？这个 人 我 连 见 都 没 见 过 。Péngyou? Zhège rén wǒ lián jiàn dōu méi jiàn guo.Friends? I've never seen this person.
• 你 怎么 连 问 都 不 问 就 拿 别人 的 东西 ？Nǐ zěnme lián wèn dōu bù wèn jiù ná biérén de dōngxi?Why are you taking other people's stuff without even asking?
• 他 连 说 都 不 说 就 走 了 。Tā lián shuō dōu bù shuō jiù zǒu le.He just left without even telling.
• 你们 连 尝 都 没 尝 就 说 不 好吃 ？Nǐmen lián cháng dōu méi cháng jiù shuō bù hǎochī?You guys didn't even taste it at all and you say it's not tasty?

连 as "Not even One"

"连"在这个句型中，是语气副词，加强语气。去掉不影响句子的完整性。详见Expressing "not even one"。

Structure

连 + 一 + Measure Word (+ Noun) + 都 + 不 / 没 + Verb

Examples

• 两 年 前，他 连 一 句 中文 都 不 会 说 。Liǎng nián qián, tā lián yī jù Zhōngwén dōu bù huì shuō.He couldn't even say a sentence in Chinese two years ago.
• 他 连 一 套 西服 都 没有 ？Tā lián yī tào xīfú dōu méiyǒu?He doesn't even have one suit?
• 我们 连 一 次 都 没 见 过 。Wǒmen lián yī cì dōu méi jiàn guo.We haven't even met once.

Sources and further reading

Books

• HSK Standard Course 4下 (pp. 5) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

"HSK4下" is not in the list (HSK0, HSK1, HSK2, HSK3, HSK4, HSK5, HSK6) of allowed values for the "HSK" property. :Yes