Even… (连…都/也…)

Structure 连 + the extreme + 都/也 + (not) verb

连…都/也… (lián… dōu/yě…) highlights an extreme case to imply the rest: "even… / not even…". 他连一句话都没说 = "he didn’t even say a single word". After 连 comes the most unexpected item (the least or the most), and 都/也 picks it up. If the clause is negative, it means "not even"; if positive, "even".

Examples

他tā连lián一yī句jù话huà都dōu没méi说shuō。
He didn’t even say a single word.
这zhè么me简jiǎn单dān的de字zì，他tā连lián写xiě都dōu不bù会huì。
Such a simple character, and he can’t even write it.
我wǒ忙máng得de连lián饭fàn都dōu没méi吃chī。
I was so busy I didn’t even eat.

This point and the other 370, with audio on every example, inside Wanyu.

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