Expressing "even" with "lian" and "dou"

"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 。 lián jiàn dōu méi jiàn guo. I didn't meet him at all.
  • 你 怎么 不 想 ?Nǐ zěnme lián xiǎng dōu bù xiǎng? How did you not think about it at all?
  • 没 看 , 就 说 我 的 衣服 很 难看 。 lián kàn dōu méi kàn, jiù shuō wǒ de yīfu hěn nánkàn. 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