Difference between revisions of "Expressing "let alone" with "geng buyong shuo""

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更不用说 (gèng bùyòng shuō) means "not to mention", "or let alone". This can be used with the 连...都 construction, meaning something like: "you're stupid enough that you can't even X, let alone Y"
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更不用说 (gèng bùyòng shuō) means "not to mention", "or let alone".  
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For example:
 
For example:
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* 他 从来 没有 背 过 一 首 诗, <em>更不用说</em> 一 本 书。
 
* 他 从来 没有 背 过 一 首 诗, <em>更不用说</em> 一 本 书。
 
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From the above, we can see that 更不用说 is often used with the 连...都... construction, often used to emphasize someone's lack of ability, something like: "you're stupid enough that you can't even X, let alone Y"
  
 
Unless the first action is negated with 没有, using 更不用说 generally requires using 了 to emphasize that the speaker is adding his/her own comment.
 
Unless the first action is negated with 没有, using 更不用说 generally requires using 了 to emphasize that the speaker is adding his/her own comment.

Revision as of 02:35, 8 November 2011

更不用说 (gèng bùyòng shuō) means "not to mention", "or let alone".


For example:

  • 他 都 不 会 煮 鸡蛋, 更不用说 做 一 大 桌子 的 饭 了。
  • 他 连 自己 国家 的 国旗 都 不 认识, 更不用说 其他 国家 的 了。
  • 他 从来 没有 背 过 一 首 诗, 更不用说 一 本 书。


From the above, we can see that 更不用说 is often used with the 连...都... construction, often used to emphasize someone's lack of ability, something like: "you're stupid enough that you can't even X, let alone Y"

Unless the first action is negated with 没有, using 更不用说 generally requires using 了 to emphasize that the speaker is adding his/her own comment.