Difference between revisions of "Expressing "even" with "shenzhi""

m (Text replacement - "chūlái" to "chūlai")
m (Text replacement - "lǎopó" to "lǎopo")
 
(5 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 5: Line 5:
 
== 甚至 Used to Emphasize a Noun ==
 
== 甚至 Used to Emphasize a Noun ==
  
==== Structure ====
+
=== Structure ===
  
 
Note the word or phrase following 甚至 often uses 也 or 都 to add further emphasis. The noun being emphasized is the "surprising" one or one that is the most "extreme."
 
Note the word or phrase following 甚至 often uses 也 or 都 to add further emphasis. The noun being emphasized is the "surprising" one or one that is the most "extreme."
Line 13: Line 13:
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==== Examples ====
+
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
*每 个 观众 <em>甚至</em> 裁判 都 站 起来 给 他 鼓掌。<span class="pinyin">Měi gè guānzhòng <em>shènzhì</em> cáipàn dōu zhàn qǐlái gěi tā gǔzhǎng.</span><span class="trans">Each and every member of the audience, and even the referee, stood up and applauded for him.</span>
 
*每 个 观众 <em>甚至</em> 裁判 都 站 起来 给 他 鼓掌。<span class="pinyin">Měi gè guānzhòng <em>shènzhì</em> cáipàn dōu zhàn qǐlái gěi tā gǔzhǎng.</span><span class="trans">Each and every member of the audience, and even the referee, stood up and applauded for him.</span>
 
*我 去 过 很 多 中国 的 城市,北京、上海、杭州、昆明、桂林,<em>甚至</em> 拉萨 我 也 去 过。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ qù guo hěn duō Zhōngguó de chéngshì, Běijīng, Shànghǎi, Hángzhōu, Kūnmíng, Guìlín, <em>shènzhì</em> Lāsà wǒ yě qù guo.</span><span class="trans">I've been to many cities in China: Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Kunming, Guilin. I even went to Lhasa once.</span>
 
*我 去 过 很 多 中国 的 城市,北京、上海、杭州、昆明、桂林,<em>甚至</em> 拉萨 我 也 去 过。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ qù guo hěn duō Zhōngguó de chéngshì, Běijīng, Shànghǎi, Hángzhōu, Kūnmíng, Guìlín, <em>shènzhì</em> Lāsà wǒ yě qù guo.</span><span class="trans">I've been to many cities in China: Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Kunming, Guilin. I even went to Lhasa once.</span>
*我的 朋友 都 不 喜欢 我 的 决定,<em>甚至</em> 我 的 家人 也 不 支持。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de péngyou dōu bù xǐhuān wǒ de juédìng, <em>shènzhì</em> wǒ de jiārén yě bù zhīchí.</span><span class="trans">None of my friends like my decision, and even my family doesn't support it.</span>
+
*我的 朋友 都 不 喜欢 我 的 决定,<em>甚至</em> 我 的 家人 也 不 支持。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de péngyou dōu bù xǐhuan wǒ de juédìng, <em>shènzhì</em> wǒ de jiārén yě bù zhīchí.</span><span class="trans">None of my friends like my decision, and even my family doesn't support it.</span>
*他 很 喜欢 玩 手机,吃饭 的时候,坐 地铁 的时候,<em>甚至</em> 上 厕所 的时候 也 在 玩。<span class="pinyin">Tā hěn xǐhuān wán shǒujī, chīfàn de shíhou, zuò dìtiě de shíhou, <em>shènzhì</em> shàng cèsuǒ de shíhou yě zài wán.</span><span class="trans">He likes playing on his cell phone when he's eating, taking the metro, even when he goes to the bathroom.</span>
+
*他 很 喜欢 玩 手机,吃饭 的时候,坐 地铁 的时候,<em>甚至</em> 上 厕所 的时候 也 在 玩。<span class="pinyin">Tā hěn xǐhuan wán shǒujī, chīfàn de shíhou, zuò dìtiě de shíhou, <em>shènzhì</em> shàng cèsuǒ de shíhou yě zài wán.</span><span class="trans">He likes playing on his cell phone when he's eating, taking the metro, even when he goes to the bathroom.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
Line 25: Line 25:
 
== 甚至 in Complex Sentences ==
 
== 甚至 in Complex Sentences ==
  
==== Structure ====
+
=== Structure ===
  
 
Note the sentence following 甚至 often uses 也 or 都 to add further emphasis, and [[Expressing "even" with "lian" and "dou"|连 (lián)]] sometimes directly follows 甚至 for further "[[even]]" emphasis.
 
Note the sentence following 甚至 often uses 也 or 都 to add further emphasis, and [[Expressing "even" with "lian" and "dou"|连 (lián)]] sometimes directly follows 甚至 for further "[[even]]" emphasis.
Line 33: Line 33:
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==== Examples ====
+
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
*他 太 忙 了,<em>甚至</em> 吃 中饭 的 时间 都 没有。<span class="pinyin">Tā tài máng le, <em>shènzhì</em> chī zhōngfàn de shíjiān dōu méiyǒu.</span><span class="trans">He's too busy. He doesn't even have time to eat lunch.</span>
 
*他 太 忙 了,<em>甚至</em> 吃 中饭 的 时间 都 没有。<span class="pinyin">Tā tài máng le, <em>shènzhì</em> chī zhōngfàn de shíjiān dōu méiyǒu.</span><span class="trans">He's too busy. He doesn't even have time to eat lunch.</span>
*他 从来 不 聊 工作 的 事,<em>甚至</em> 跟 他 老婆 也 不 说。<span class="pinyin">Tā cónglái bù liáo gōngzuò de shì, <em>shènzhì</em> gēn tā lǎopó yě bù shuō.</span><span class="trans">He never talks about work, not even to his wife.</span>
+
*他 从来 不 聊 工作 的 事,<em>甚至</em> 跟 他 老婆 也 不 说。<span class="pinyin">Tā cónglái bù liáo gōngzuò de shì, <em>shènzhì</em> gēn tā lǎopo yě bù shuō.</span><span class="trans">He never talks about work, not even to his wife.</span>
 
*这 个 问题 很 简单,<em>甚至</em> 连 孩子 都 知道。<span class="pinyin">Zhège wèntí hěn jiǎndān, <em>shènzhì</em> lián háizi dōu zhīdào.</span><span class="trans">This question is simple, even kids know the answer.</span>
 
*这 个 问题 很 简单,<em>甚至</em> 连 孩子 都 知道。<span class="pinyin">Zhège wèntí hěn jiǎndān, <em>shènzhì</em> lián háizi dōu zhīdào.</span><span class="trans">This question is simple, even kids know the answer.</span>
*我 男朋友 很 喜欢 游泳,<em>甚至</em> 连 冬天 也 游。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou hěn xǐhuān yóuyǒng, <em>shènzhì</em> lián dōngtiān yě yóu.</span><span class="trans">My boyfriend likes swimming a lot. He goes swimming even when it's winter.</span>
+
*我 男朋友 很 喜欢 游泳,<em>甚至</em> 连 冬天 也 游。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou hěn xǐhuan yóuyǒng, <em>shènzhì</em> lián dōngtiān yě yóu.</span><span class="trans">My boyfriend likes swimming a lot. He goes swimming even when it's winter.</span>
*几 年 不 见,他 变 胖 了 很 多,<em>甚至</em> 连 我 这 个 老 朋友 都 认 不 出来 了。<span class="pinyin">Jǐ nián bù jiàn, tā biàn pàng le hěn duō, <em>shènzhì</em> lián wǒ zhège lǎo péngyou dōu rèn bù chūlai le.</span><span class="trans">I haven't seen him for a few years and he's gotten much fatter. I, as an old friend, couldn't even recognize him.</span>
+
*几 年 不 见,他 变 胖 了 很 多,<em>甚至</em> 连 我 这 个 老 朋友 都 认 不 出来 了。<span class="pinyin">Jǐ nián bù jiàn, tā biàn pàng le hěn duō, <em>shènzhì</em> lián wǒ zhège lǎo péngyou dōu rèn bù chūlái le.</span><span class="trans">I haven't seen him for a few years and he's gotten much fatter. I, as an old friend, couldn't even recognize him.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>

Latest revision as of 07:21, 29 December 2020

甚至 (shènzhì) is similar to "even" in English and is used for emphasis. Like "even," it can be used quite directly or in a more subtle manner. When used more subtly it acts to supplement the speaker’s initial thought, creating the impression that the speaker has realized half way through his statement that he hasn’t gone far enough, and wants to take the idea one step further.

甚至 Used to Emphasize a Noun

Structure

Note the word or phrase following 甚至 often uses 也 or 都 to add further emphasis. The noun being emphasized is the "surprising" one or one that is the most "extreme."

[Noun or Group of Nouns] + 甚至 + [Emphasized Noun] + 都 / 也 ⋯⋯

Examples

  • 每 个 观众 甚至 裁判 都 站 起来 给 他 鼓掌。Měi gè guānzhòng shènzhì cáipàn dōu zhàn qǐlái gěi tā gǔzhǎng.Each and every member of the audience, and even the referee, stood up and applauded for him.
  • 我 去 过 很 多 中国 的 城市,北京、上海、杭州、昆明、桂林,甚至 拉萨 我 也 去 过。Wǒ qù guo hěn duō Zhōngguó de chéngshì, Běijīng, Shànghǎi, Hángzhōu, Kūnmíng, Guìlín, shènzhì Lāsà wǒ yě qù guo.I've been to many cities in China: Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Kunming, Guilin. I even went to Lhasa once.
  • 我的 朋友 都 不 喜欢 我 的 决定,甚至 我 的 家人 也 不 支持。Wǒ de péngyou dōu bù xǐhuan wǒ de juédìng, shènzhì wǒ de jiārén yě bù zhīchí.None of my friends like my decision, and even my family doesn't support it.
  • 他 很 喜欢 玩 手机,吃饭 的时候,坐 地铁 的时候,甚至 上 厕所 的时候 也 在 玩。Tā hěn xǐhuan wán shǒujī, chīfàn de shíhou, zuò dìtiě de shíhou, shènzhì shàng cèsuǒ de shíhou yě zài wán.He likes playing on his cell phone when he's eating, taking the metro, even when he goes to the bathroom.

甚至 in Complex Sentences

Structure

Note the sentence following 甚至 often uses 也 or 都 to add further emphasis, and 连 (lián) sometimes directly follows 甚至 for further "even" emphasis.

⋯⋯,甚至 + (连) ⋯⋯ + 都 / 也

Examples

  • 他 太 忙 了,甚至 吃 中饭 的 时间 都 没有。Tā tài máng le, shènzhì chī zhōngfàn de shíjiān dōu méiyǒu.He's too busy. He doesn't even have time to eat lunch.
  • 他 从来 不 聊 工作 的 事,甚至 跟 他 老婆 也 不 说。Tā cónglái bù liáo gōngzuò de shì, shènzhì gēn tā lǎopo yě bù shuō.He never talks about work, not even to his wife.
  • 这 个 问题 很 简单,甚至 连 孩子 都 知道。Zhège wèntí hěn jiǎndān, shènzhì lián háizi dōu zhīdào.This question is simple, even kids know the answer.
  • 我 男朋友 很 喜欢 游泳,甚至 连 冬天 也 游。Wǒ nánpéngyou hěn xǐhuan yóuyǒng, shènzhì lián dōngtiān yě yóu.My boyfriend likes swimming a lot. He goes swimming even when it's winter.
  • 几 年 不 见,他 变 胖 了 很 多,甚至 连 我 这 个 老 朋友 都 认 不 出来 了。Jǐ nián bù jiàn, tā biàn pàng le hěn duō, shènzhì lián wǒ zhège lǎo péngyou dōu rèn bù chūlái le.I haven't seen him for a few years and he's gotten much fatter. I, as an old friend, couldn't even recognize him.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books