Advanced uses of "lian"

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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 that "even" is in English.

连 as "Not at All"

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

Structure

连 + Verb + 都 + 不 / 没 + Verb (,就 ⋯⋯)

Examples

  • 朋友 ?这个 人 我 没 见 过 。Péngyou? Zhège rén wǒ lián jiàn dōu méi jiàn guo.Friends? I've never even met this person.
  • 你 怎么 不 问 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?
  • 不 说 走 了 。lián shuō dōu bù shuō jiù zǒu le.He just left without even saying anything.
  • 你们 没 尝 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 good?
  • 这 本 书,你 不 看 送人 了 。Zhè běn shū, nǐ lián kàn dōu bù kàn jiù sòng rén le.You gave this book away without even reading it first.

连 as "Not Even One"

In this pattern, 连 serves as an adverb to add emphasis. It can be removed without changing the meaning substantially.

Structure

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

Examples

  • 两 年 前,他 一 句 中文 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.
  • 一 套 西服 没有 ?lián yī tào xīfú dōu méiyǒu?He doesn't even have a single suit?
  • 我们 一 次 没 见 过 。Wǒmen lián yī cì dōu méi jiàn guo.We haven't even met once.
  • 一 口 蛋糕 没 吃 到 。lián yī kǒu dàngāo dōu méi chī dào.I haven't gotten a single bite of cake.
  • 小明 一 次 火车 没 坐 过 。 Xiǎo Míng lián yī cì huǒchē dōu méi zuò guò.Xiao Ming has never even taken a train even once.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books