Expressing "everything" with "shenme dou"

"什么...都/也" (shénme...dōu/yě) is a pattern often used to express "all" or "everything".

Structures

The structure is very clear, as many Chinese grammar points are.

什么 + Noun. + 都

什么 + Noun. + 也

什么 + 都/也

Examples

  • 以后 你 应该 什么 水果 吃。Later you should eat every fruit.
  • 什么 电影 喜欢 看。I like to watch all the movies. (implying that I like all the movies that come my way)
  • 今天 我 什么 工作 做了。Today I did all my work.
  • 什么 知道。I know everything.

Negative Structures

The negative structure simply adds a 不 or a 没 after the 都/也.

什么 + Noun. + 都/也 + 不

什么 + Noun. + 都/也 + 没

Examples

  • 以后 你 应该 什么 水果 不 吃。Later you should not eat every fruit.
  • 什么 电影 不 喜欢 看。I don't like to watch every movie. (implying I don't like movies in general)
  • 今天 我 什么 工作 没 做。Today I didn't do any work.
  • 什么 不 知道。I don't know anything.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books