Difference between revisions of "Expressing "let alone" with "bie shuo""

 
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别说 (bié shuō) means something like "leaving aside" or "don't think about", and is used in the following way:
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{{Grammar Box}}
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别说 (bié shuō) means something like "leaving aside" or "don't think about," and is used in the following way:
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==Structure==
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
别说 A , 就是/就连  B Verb
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别说 + A , 连  / 就是+ B + / 都 + Verb
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</div>
 
</div>
  
This is similar to English where we might say: "don't think about preparing a banquet, you can't even boil an egg". Note that this sentence structure is the reverse to the [["Let Alone" with "geng buyong shuo"|更不用说]] pattern.
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This is similar to English where we might say: "don't think about preparing a banquet, you can't even make instant noodles." Note that this sentence structure is the reverse to the [["Let Alone" with "geng buyong shuo"|更不用说]] pattern.
  
Some examples:
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== Examples ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* <em>别说</em> 大 桌子 菜,你 <em>连</em> 怎么 煮 鸡蛋 也 不 知道。
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* <em>别说</em> 一百 , <em>就是</em> 一 块 钱 我 也 不 给 你 。
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*<em>别说</em> 一百, <em>就是</em> 块 钱 我 <em>也</em> 不 给 你 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Bié shuō</em> yībǎi, <em>jiùshì</em> yīkuài qián wǒ <em>yě</em> bù gěi nǐ.</span><span class="trans">Don't think about one hundred, I won't even give you one kuai.</span>
* <em>别说</em> 白酒,<em>就是</em> 啤酒 的 味道 我 也 受 不了。
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*<em>别说</em> 白酒,<em>连</em> 啤酒 味道 我 <em>都</em> 受 不了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Bié shuō</em> báijiǔ, <em>lián</em> píjiǔ de wèidào wǒ <em>dōu</em> shòubuliǎo.</span><span class="trans">Don't even mention baijiu; I can't even stand the taste of beer.</span>
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*<em>别说</em> 英语, 你 说 中文 我 <em>也</em> 不 知道 怎么 回答。<span class="pinyin"><em>Bié shuō</em> Yīngyǔ, nǐ shuō Zhōngwén wǒ <em>yě</em> bù zhīdào zěnme huídá.</span><span class="trans">Forget about English! Even if you speak Chinese, I don't know how to answer.</span>
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*这么 难 的 问题,<em>别说</em> 你,<em>就是</em> 老师 <em>也</em> 不 知道 答案。<span class="pinyin">Zhème nán de wèntí, <em>bié shuō</em> nǐ, <em>jiùshì</em> lǎoshī <em>yě</em> bù zhīdào dá'àn.</span><span class="trans">Such a hard question! Even the teacher doesn't know the answer, let alone you.</span>
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*<em>别说</em> 做 菜 了,他 <em>连</em> 怎么 煮 方便面 <em>都</em> 不 知道。<span class="pinyin"><em>Bié shuō</em> zuò cài le, tā <em>lián</em> zěnme zhǔ fāngbiànmiàn <em>dōu</em> bù zhīdào.</span><span class="trans">Don't even think about cooking. He doesn't even know how to boil instant noodles.</span>
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*<em>别说</em> 旅游 了,他 <em>连</em> 出门 <em>都</em> 不 想 出。<span class="pinyin"><em>Bié shuō</em> lǚyóu le, tā <em>lián</em> chūmén <em>dōu</em> bù xiǎng chū.</span><span class="trans">Don't even mention traveling; he doesn't even want to go outside the house.</span>
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*<em>别说</em> 是 我, <em>连</em> 你 妈妈 <em>也</em> 不 会 原谅 你。<span class="pinyin"><em>Bié shuō</em> shì wǒ, <em>lián</em> nǐ māma <em>yě</em> bù huì yuánliàng nǐ.</span><span class="trans">Even your own mother won't forgive you, let alone me.</span>
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*这么 贵 的 房子 <em>别说</em> 你,<em>就是</em> 我 <em></em> 会 想 要 的。<span class="pinyin">Zhème guì de fángzi, <em>bié shuō</em> nǐ, <em>jiùshì</em> wǒ <em>yě</em> huì xiǎng yào de.</span><span class="trans">Such an expensive house! Even I would want it, let alone you.</span>
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*这 件 事情 ,<em>别说</em> ,任何 人 看到 <em>都</em> 会 帮忙 的 <span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shìqing, <em>bié shuō</em> nǐ, rènhé rén kāndào <em>dōu</em> huì bāngmáng de.</span><span class="trans">Anyone who sees the situation would help, let alone you.</span>
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*<em>别说</em> 你 了, <em>就是</em> 我 弟弟 来 <em></em> 要 买 票。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Bié shuō</em> nǐ le, <em>jiùshì</em> wǒ dìdi lái <em>yě</em> yào mǎi piào.</span><span class="trans">Even my brother needs to buy a ticket if he comes, let alone you.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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且不说 is more formal than 别说, but is used in the same way.
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== See also ==
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*[["Let Alone" with "hekuang"]]
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*[[Advanced uses of "lian"]]
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*[["Let Alone" with "geng buyong shuo"]]
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*[[Expressing "Even" with "lian" and "dou"]]
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== Sources and further reading ==
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=== Books ===
  
[[Category:B2 grammar points]]
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{{Source|现代汉语八百词(增订本)|85}}
  
且不说 is more formal than 别说, and is used in the same way.
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[[Category: B2 grammar points]]
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{{Basic Grammar|别说|B2|别说⋯⋯,就是⋯⋯|<em>别说</em> 一百 , <em>就是</em> 一 块 钱 我 也 不 给 你 。|grammar point|ASGR6Q2J}}
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{{Rel char|就是}}
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{{Similar|"Let Alone" with "hekuang"}}
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{{Similar|"Let Alone" with "geng buyong shuo"}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "even" with "lian" and "dou"}}
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{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
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{{Used for|Expressing determination}}
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{{Subprop|Let alone}}

Latest revision as of 04:23, 18 January 2021

别说 (bié shuō) means something like "leaving aside" or "don't think about," and is used in the following way:

Structure

别说 + A , 连 / 就是+ B + 也 / 都 + Verb

This is similar to English where we might say: "don't think about preparing a banquet, you can't even make instant noodles." Note that this sentence structure is the reverse to the 更不用说 pattern.

Examples

  • 别说 一百, 就是 一 块 钱 我 不 给 你 。Bié shuō yībǎi, jiùshì yīkuài qián wǒ bù gěi nǐ.Don't think about one hundred, I won't even give you one kuai.
  • 别说 白酒, 啤酒 的 味道 我 受 不了。Bié shuō báijiǔ, lián píjiǔ de wèidào wǒ dōu shòubuliǎo.Don't even mention baijiu; I can't even stand the taste of beer.
  • 别说 英语, 你 说 中文 我 不 知道 怎么 回答。Bié shuō Yīngyǔ, nǐ shuō Zhōngwén wǒ bù zhīdào zěnme huídá.Forget about English! Even if you speak Chinese, I don't know how to answer.
  • 这么 难 的 问题,别说 你,就是 老师 不 知道 答案。Zhème nán de wèntí, bié shuō nǐ, jiùshì lǎoshī bù zhīdào dá'àn.Such a hard question! Even the teacher doesn't know the answer, let alone you.
  • 别说 做 菜 了,他 怎么 煮 方便面 不 知道。Bié shuō zuò cài le, tā lián zěnme zhǔ fāngbiànmiàn dōu bù zhīdào.Don't even think about cooking. He doesn't even know how to boil instant noodles.
  • 别说 旅游 了,他 出门 不 想 出。Bié shuō lǚyóu le, tā lián chūmén dōu bù xiǎng chū.Don't even mention traveling; he doesn't even want to go outside the house.
  • 别说 是 我, 你 妈妈 不 会 原谅 你。Bié shuō shì wǒ, lián nǐ māma bù huì yuánliàng nǐ.Even your own mother won't forgive you, let alone me.
  • 这么 贵 的 房子 ,别说 你,就是 会 想 要 的。Zhème guì de fángzi, bié shuō nǐ, jiùshì huì xiǎng yào de.Such an expensive house! Even I would want it, let alone you.
  • 这 件 事情 ,别说 你 ,任何 人 看到 会 帮忙 的 。Zhè jiàn shìqing, bié shuō nǐ, rènhé rén kāndào dōu huì bāngmáng de.Anyone who sees the situation would help, let alone you.
  • 别说 你 了, 就是 我 弟弟 来 要 买 票。 Bié shuō nǐ le, jiùshì wǒ dìdi lái yào mǎi piào.Even my brother needs to buy a ticket if he comes, let alone you.

且不说 is more formal than 别说, but is used in the same way.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK5