Difference between revisions of "Expressing "let alone" with "hekuang""

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何况 can be used to emphasize that A is easier than B
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何况 can be used to emphasize that A is easier than B.
  
  
 
For example:
 
For example:
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 我 <em>连</em> 一千 块钱 的 工资 <em>都</em> 赚 不 了,<em>何况</em> 一万 <em>呢</em>?<span class="expl">(I can't even earn 1000 a month, let alone 10000)</span>
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* 我 <em>连</em> 一千 块钱 的 工资 <em>都</em> 赚 不 了,<em>何况</em> 一万 <em>呢</em>?<span class="expl">(I can't even earn 1000 a month, and you saying I could earn 10000?)</span>
 
* 小孩儿 <em>连</em> 说话 <em>都</em> 不 会,<em>何况</em> 背诵 诗歌 <em>呢</em>?<span class="expl">(The baby can't even speak, and you're thinking he could recite poetry?)</span>
 
* 小孩儿 <em>连</em> 说话 <em>都</em> 不 会,<em>何况</em> 背诵 诗歌 <em>呢</em>?<span class="expl">(The baby can't even speak, and you're thinking he could recite poetry?)</span>
* 你 <em>连</em> 这么 简单 的 试题 <em>都</em> 不 会,<em>何况</em> 那么 难 的 <em>呢</em>? <span class="expl">(You couldn't even pass a test that easy, don't even think about a harder one)</span>
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* 你 <em>连</em> 这么 简单 的 试题 <em>都</em> 不 会,<em>何况</em> 那么 难 的 <em>呢</em>? <span class="expl">(You couldn't even pass a test that easy, and you're kidding yourself you could pass one that hard?)</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
In these sentences, as A is so hard, B would almost be impossible.
+
In the above examples: as A is so hard, B would almost be impossible.
  
 
This structure can be directly reversed to mean the opposite; that is, A is harder than B.
 
This structure can be directly reversed to mean the opposite; that is, A is harder than B.
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* 我 <em>连</em> 一万 块 钱 的 工资 <em>都</em> 赚 得 了,<em>何况</em> 一千 <em>呢</em>?<span class="expl">(I'm earning 10000 a month, and you're saying I couldn't even earn 1000?)</span>  
 
* 我 <em>连</em> 一万 块 钱 的 工资 <em>都</em> 赚 得 了,<em>何况</em> 一千 <em>呢</em>?<span class="expl">(I'm earning 10000 a month, and you're saying I couldn't even earn 1000?)</span>  
 
* 小孩儿 <em>连</em> 诗歌 <em>都</em> 会 背诵,<em>何况</em> 说话 <em>呢</em>?<span class="expl">(The child can even recite poetry, how could he not be able to speak?)</span>
 
* 小孩儿 <em>连</em> 诗歌 <em>都</em> 会 背诵,<em>何况</em> 说话 <em>呢</em>?<span class="expl">(The child can even recite poetry, how could he not be able to speak?)</span>
* 你 <em>连</em> 那么 难 的 试题 <em>都</em> 不 会,<em>何况</em> 这么 容易 的 <em>呢</em>?<span class="expl">(After passing a test like that, you could easily pass this one)</span>     
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* 你 <em>连</em> 那么 难 的 试题 <em>都</em> 不 会,<em>何况</em> 这么 容易 的 <em>呢</em>?<span class="expl">(After passing a test like that, how could you not pass this one?)</span>     
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
In these sentences, as A is so easy, then B must be even easier
+
In the above sentences, as A is so easy, then B must be even easier.
  
 
何况 doesn't necessarily have to be used with the 连...都... structure, and can be used as a simple statement instead of a rhetorical question.
 
何况 doesn't necessarily have to be used with the 连...都... structure, and can be used as a simple statement instead of a rhetorical question.
 +
 +
Some examples:
 +
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
* 他 尚且 不 会 说话,更 <em>何况</em> 朗诵 诗歌。
 
* 他 尚且 不 会 说话,更 <em>何况</em> 朗诵 诗歌。
 
* 本地人 经常 会 迷路 的,<em>何况</em> 陌生人!
 
* 本地人 经常 会 迷路 的,<em>何况</em> 陌生人!
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
  
 
何况 is often used with 尚且, a formal way of saying 还. 更 can be added to 何况 to add further emphasis.
 
何况 is often used with 尚且, a formal way of saying 还. 更 can be added to 何况 to add further emphasis.
 
 
 
 
As we can see, the first phrase often uses 尚且
 

Revision as of 03:45, 4 November 2011

何况 (hékuàng) can mean "let alone" or "all the more". It can be used in the following structure:

Subject + 连 + A + 都 + Verb, 何况 + B + 呢?

呢 often appears at the end of this structure, to form a rhetorical question.


何况 can be used to emphasize that A is easier than B.


For example:

  • 一千 块钱 的 工资 赚 不 了,何况 一万 (I can't even earn 1000 a month, and you saying I could earn 10000?)
  • 小孩儿 说话 不 会,何况 背诵 诗歌 (The baby can't even speak, and you're thinking he could recite poetry?)
  • 这么 简单 的 试题 不 会,何况 那么 难 的 (You couldn't even pass a test that easy, and you're kidding yourself you could pass one that hard?)

In the above examples: as A is so hard, B would almost be impossible.

This structure can be directly reversed to mean the opposite; that is, A is harder than B. For example:

  • 一万 块 钱 的 工资 赚 得 了,何况 一千 (I'm earning 10000 a month, and you're saying I couldn't even earn 1000?)
  • 小孩儿 诗歌 会 背诵,何况 说话 (The child can even recite poetry, how could he not be able to speak?)
  • 那么 难 的 试题 不 会,何况 这么 容易 的 (After passing a test like that, how could you not pass this one?)

In the above sentences, as A is so easy, then B must be even easier.

何况 doesn't necessarily have to be used with the 连...都... structure, and can be used as a simple statement instead of a rhetorical question.

Some examples:

  • 他 尚且 不 会 说话,更 何况 朗诵 诗歌。
  • 本地人 经常 会 迷路 的,何况 陌生人!

何况 is often used with 尚且, a formal way of saying 还. 更 can be added to 何况 to add further emphasis.