Expressing "even" with "lian" and "dou"
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"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.
Contents
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 我们 家 是 我 老婆 管 钱， 我 连 饭 钱 都 要 问 她 要。Our family's money is managed by the wife. I have to ask her even for food money.
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
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
