Expressing "even if…" with "jishi"
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
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。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 。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 。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 。Even if you were very rich, you couldn't buy happiness.
- 即使 你 没胃口 ，也 要 吃 一点 。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 。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 。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。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 。
- 现在 虽然 很 忙 ，我们 也 抽时间 陪 孩子 。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.
See also
- Expressing "even if…" with "jiusuan"
- Expressing "even if…" with "napa"
- Expressing "even if…" with "jiushi"
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]
