Difference between revisions of "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.
 
"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.
  
== 连 Followed By Noun ==
+
== 连 Followed by Noun ==
  
 
=== Basic Structure ===
 
=== Basic Structure ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*这个 汉字 太 难 了,<em>连</em> 我 的 中文 老师 <em>也</em> 不 认识。<span class="trans">This Chinese character is so difficult that even my Chinese teacher doesn't know it.</span>
+
* 这个 汉字 太 难 了 ,<em>连</em> 我 的 中文 老师 <em>也</em> 不 认识 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhège hànzì tài nán le, <em>lián</em> wǒ de Zhōngwén lǎoshī <em></em> bù rènshi. </span> <span class="trans">This Chinese character is so difficult that even my Chinese teacher doesn't know it. </span>
*这个 问题 太 容易 了,<em></em>孩子<em></em>知道。<span class="trans">This question is so easy that even kids would know.</span>
+
* 我们 家 人人 都 炒股 , <em>连</em> 我 奶奶 <em>也</em> 炒 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen jiā rénrén dōu chǎogǔ, <em>lián</em> wǒ nǎinai <em> </em> chǎo. </span> <span class="trans">Everyone in my family plays the stock market, even my grandma does.</span>
*我们 家 人人 都 炒股,<em>连</em> 我 奶奶 <em>也</em> 炒。<span class="trans">Everyone in my family plays the stock market, even my grandma does. </span>
+
* 你 怎么 这么 穷? <em>连</em> 一 顿 饭 <em>都</em> 请 不起。<span class="trans">How could you be so poor? You can't even buy one meal for someone. </span>
*他 最近 忙 死了,<em></em>吃饭 的 时间<em></em>没有。<span class="trans">He's been super busy lately that he doesn't even have time to eat. </span>
+
* 你们 怎么 <em>连</em> 这么 简单 的 事情 <em>都</em> 做 不 好?太 让 我 失望 了! <span class="trans">How can you guys mess up even the simplest thing? It makes me so disappointed. </span>
*你 要 跟 他 结婚?可是 你们 <em>连</em> 面 <em>都</em> 没 见 过! <span class="trans">Do you want to marry him? But you guys haven't even met each other! </span>
+
* 我们 家 是 老婆 管 钱, 我 <em>连</em> 钱 <em>都</em> 要 她 要。<span class="trans">Our family's money is managed by the wife. I have to ask her even for food money. </span>
*你 怎么 这么 穷? <em>连</em> 一 顿 饭 <em>都</em> 请 不起。<span class="trans">How could you be so poor? You can't even buy one meal for someone. </span>
+
 
*你们 怎么 <em>连</em> 这么 简单 的 事情 <em>都</em> 做 不 好?太 让 我 失望 了! <span class="trans"> How can you guys mess up even the simplest thing? It makes me so disappointed. </span>
+
 
*她 从 早 到 晚 都 在 玩 手机,<em>连</em> 上 厕所 的时候 <em>都</em> 在 玩。<span class="trans">She plays with her phone all day and every day, even when she is using the bathroom.</span>
 
*我们 家 是 老婆 管钱。我 <em>连</em> 吃饭 的 钱 <em>都</em> 要 她 要。<span class="trans"> Our family's money is managed by the wife. I have to find her even for food money. </span>
 
*你 <em>连</em> 东 西 南 北 <em>都</em> 分 不 清,怎么 做 我们 的 导游? <span class="trans">You can't even distinguish north, south, east and west. How can you be our tour guide? </span>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 连 Followed By Verb ==
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== 连 Followed by Verb ==
  
 
The verb used in this structure is mostly one syllable verb.
 
The verb used in this structure is mostly one syllable verb.
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Using this type of sentence structure emphasizes "not even at all..."
 
Using this type of sentence structure emphasizes "not even at all..."
 +
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 你 怎么 <em>连</em> <em>都</em> 不 想 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ zěnme <em>lián</em> xiǎng <em>dōu</em> bù xiǎng? </span> <span class="trans">How did you not think about it at all? </span>
+
*<em>连</em> <em>都</em> 没 见 过。<span class="trans"> I didn't meet him at all. </span>
* 他 <em>连</em> 看 <em>都</em> 没 看 , 就 说 我 的 衣服 很 难看 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>lián</em> kàn <em>dōu</em> méi kàn, jiù shuō wǒ de yīfu hěn nánkàn. </span> <span class="trans">He didn't even look at them at all, he just said my clothes were ugly. </span>
+
*你 怎么  <em></em> <em></em> 不 想? <span class="trans"> How did you not think about it at all?</span>
* 他 <em>连</em> 问 <em>都</em> 不 问,就 把 我们 的 东西 扔 掉 了 。<span class="trans"> He didn't even ask at all, he just threw away my stuff. </span>
+
*他 <em>连</em> 看 <em>都</em> 没 看,就 说 我 的 衣服 很 难看。<span class="trans"> He didn't even look at them at all, he just said my clothes were ugly. </span>
 +
*他 <em>连</em> 问 <em>都</em> 不 问,就 把 我们 的 东西 扔 掉 了 。<span class="trans"> He didn't even ask at all, he just threw away my stuff. </span>
 
* 你们 <em>连</em> 尝 <em>都</em> 没 尝,怎么 知道 不 好吃?<span class="trans"> You guys didn't even taste it at all, how do you know that it tastes bad? </span>
 
* 你们 <em>连</em> 尝 <em>都</em> 没 尝,怎么 知道 不 好吃?<span class="trans"> You guys didn't even taste it at all, how do you know that it tastes bad? </span>
* 你 要 跟 他 结婚?可是 你们 <em>连</em> 见 <em>都</em> 没 见 过! <span class="trans">Do you want to marry him? But you guys haven't even met each other! </span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>

Revision as of 02:07, 6 March 2017

"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.

连 Followed by Noun

Basic Structure

连 + Noun + 也 / 都 + Adj. / Verb

Examples

  • 这个 汉字 太 难 了 , 我 的 中文 老师 不 认识 。 Zhège hànzì tài nán le, lián wǒ de Zhōngwén lǎoshī bù rènshi. This Chinese character is so difficult that even my Chinese teacher doesn't know it.
  • 我们 家 人人 都 炒股 , 我 奶奶 炒 。 Wǒmen jiā rénrén dōu chǎogǔ, lián wǒ nǎinai chǎo. Everyone in my family plays the stock market, even my grandma does.
  • 你 怎么 这么 穷? 一 顿 饭 请 不起。How could you be so poor? You can't even buy one meal for someone.
  • 你们 怎么 这么 简单 的 事情 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 饭 钱 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

  • 没 见 过。 I didn't meet him at all.
  • 你 怎么 不 想? How did you not think about it at all?
  • 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.
  • 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 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