Difference between revisions of "Expressing "even if…" with "jishi""

Revision as of 06:55, 11 December 2020

Level

B2 / HSK4
Level

B2
Level

HSK4
Similar to
Similar to
- Expressing "since" with "jiran" (HSK4)
- Expressing "unless" with "chufei" (HSK4)
- Expressing "even if…" with "jiushi" (HSK5)
- Expressing "even if…" with "jiusuan" (HSK5)
- Expressing "even if…" with "napa" (HSK5)
Used for

Indicating conditions, Expressing determination
Keywords

也, 即使

即使⋯⋯也⋯⋯ (jíshǐ... yě...) means "even if... still...." In this construction, the first clause (after 即使) is a supposition, which is then struck down as impossible by the second clause (after 也) of the statement.

Structure

即使 ⋯⋯ ，也 ⋯⋯

Examples

即使你不想让我去，我也要去。Jíshǐ nǐ bù xiǎng ràng wǒ qù, wǒ yě yào qù.Even if you don't want me to go, I still have to go.
即使冬天很冷，杰克也不穿外套。Jíshǐ dōngtiān hěn lěng, Jiékè yě bù chuān wàitào.Even if it is very cold in winter, Jake won't wear a jacket.
即使他没钱，我也要嫁给他。Jíshǐ tā méi qián, wǒ yě yào jià gěi tā.Even if he doesn't have money, I'm still going to marry him.
即使你很有钱，也买不到幸福。Jíshǐ nǐ hěn yǒu qián, yě mǎi bù dào xìngfú.Even if you were very rich, you couldn't buy happiness.
即使你没胃口，也要吃一点。Jíshǐ nǐ méi wèikǒu, yě yào chī yīdiǎn.Even if you don't have any appetite, you still need to eat something.
即使你对这门课不太感兴趣，也要学。Jíshǐ nǐ duì zhè mén kè bù tài gǎn xìngqù, yě yào xué.Even if you are not so interested in this subject, you still need to study it.
即使她整容，我也能认出她。Jíshǐ tā zhěngróng, wǒ yě néng rèn chū tā.Even if she had plastic surgery, I could still recognize her.
即使他们要赔偿我们，我们也要把事情公开。Jíshǐ tāmen yào péicháng wǒmen, wǒmen yě yào bǎ shìqing gōngkāi.Even if they want to compensate us, we're still going to make this public.

Note that the clause used after 即使 must be hypothetical, otherwise 虽然 should be used.

现在即使很忙，我们也抽时间陪孩子。Xiànzài jíshǐ hěn máng, wǒmen yě chōu shíjiān péi háizi.
现在虽然很忙，我们也抽时间陪孩子。Xiànzài suīrán hěn máng, wǒmen yě chōu shíjiān péi háizi.Although it's busy now, we still take time to accompany the children.

In the sentence above, the first part is the actual current situation, so it is incorrect to use 即使.

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK Standard Course 4上 (pp. 9) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 261-3) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 63) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 289) [ →buy]
40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册） (pp. 445) [ →buy]

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 *<em>即使</em> 你 对 这 门 课 不太 感兴趣 ，<strong>也</strong> 要 学 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Jíshǐ</em> nǐ duì zhè mén kè bù tài gǎn xìngqù, <strong>yě</strong> yào xué.</span><span class="trans">Even if you are not so interested in this subject, you still need to study it.</span>
 *<em>即使</em> 她 整容 ，我 <strong>也</strong> 能 认出 她 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Jíshǐ</em> tā zhěngróng, wǒ <strong>yě</strong> néng rèn chū tā.</span><span class="trans">Even if she had plastic surgery, I could still recognize her.</span>
-*<em>即使</em> 他们 要 赔偿 我们 ，我们 <strong>也</strong> 要 把 事情 公开。<span class="pinyin"><em>Jíshǐ</em> tāmen yào péicháng wǒmen, wǒmen <strong>yě</strong> yào bǎ shìqíng gōngkāi.</span><span class="trans">Even if they want to compensate us, we're still going to make this public.</span>
+*<em>即使</em> 他们 要 赔偿 我们 ，我们 <strong>也</strong> 要 把 事情 公开。<span class="pinyin"><em>Jíshǐ</em> tāmen yào péicháng wǒmen, wǒmen <strong>yě</strong> yào bǎ shìqing gōngkāi.</span><span class="trans">Even if they want to compensate us, we're still going to make this public.</span>
 </div>