Kilo Lingo
Mandarin grammar Part of Chapter 29

CEFR B1-B2

4 min read

Test yourself (16 questions)

Even in Mandarin: The 连...都/也 Construction

By Michael McGettrick and Wee Khang LinUpdated 12 October 2026

(lián háizi dōu zhīdào): even children know. Mandarin says "even" with two words, not one: (lián) before the surprising thing, and (dōu) or (yě) after it, before the verb. The phrase always sits in front of the verb, so an object has to move.

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Pick the right one

0/3

Pick the Mandarin for the English.

  1. He hasn't even eaten.

  2. Even he doesn't know.

  3. He didn't even look.

The whole system on one screen

The colours stay the same all page long:

连 lián + the surprising thing都 dōu or 也 yě不 bù or 没 méi (not)What do the colours mean?
Subject
连 + X
都 or 也
Not
Verb
empty
empty
HanziPinyinEnglish
。Lián háizi dōu zhīdào.Even children know
。Lián tā yě bù zhīdào.Even he doesn't know
。Tā lián mén dōu méi guān.He didn't even close the door
。Zhèlǐ lián yí ge rén dōu méiyǒu.There isn't a single person here

Three rules: both halves, the phrase before the verb, and (bù) or (méi) after (dōu).

连 (lián) needs 都 (dōu) or 也 (yě)

连 lián + the surprising thing都 dōu or 也 yě不 bù or 没 méi (not)What do the colours mean?

English says "even" once. Mandarin needs both halves:

HanziPinyinEnglish
。Lián lǎoshī dōu bù zhīdào.Even the teacher doesn't know
。Lián xiǎoháizi dōu huì.Even a small child can do it
。Tā lián xīngqītiān yě yào shàngbān.He has to work even on Sundays

Without (dōu) or (yě) the sentence is broken: is not Mandarin, (lián tā dōu bù zhīdào) is. In most sentences the two partners mean the same. (dōu) is the commoner, especially in positive sentences, so it is the safe default.

The object moves in front of the verb

连 lián + the surprising thing都 dōu or 也 yě不 bù or 没 méi (not)What do the colours mean?

The (lián) phrase must sit before (dōu), and sits before the verb. So an object leaves its usual place after the verb:

He doesn't know about this. / He doesn't even know about this.
HanziPinyinEnglish
。Tā méi chīfàn.He hasn't eaten
。Tā lián fàn dōu méi chī.He hasn't even eaten
。Tā lián zìjǐ de míngzi dōu bú huì xiě.He can't even write his own name

The (lián) phrase can also open the sentence, before the subject, and both orders are natural: 。 (Lián zhè jiàn shì tā dōu bù zhīdào.), he doesn't even know about this.

Not even: 不 (bù) or 没 (méi) after 都 (dōu)

连 lián + the surprising thing都 dōu or 也 yě不 bù or 没 méi (not)What do the colours mean?

The negative stays where it always is, straight before the verb, so it follows (dōu) or (yě). Pick (bù) or (méi) on the usual rule:

HanziPinyinEnglish
。Wǒ lián tā de míngzi dōu bù zhīdào.I don't even know his name
。Tā lián mén dōu méi guān.He didn't even close the door

The order matters, because (bù dōu) is a different thing, "not all": 。 (Tāmen bù dōu shì lǎoshī.), not all of them are teachers. So is wrong; say (lián lǎoshī dōu bù zhīdào).

Not a single one: 连一 (lián yī) + measure word

连 lián + the surprising thing都 dōu or 也 yě不 bù or 没 méi (not)What do the colours mean?

Put the smallest amount there is, (yī) + measure word + noun, into the frame and deny it. The result is "not a single one":

HanziPinyinEnglish
。Zhèlǐ lián yí ge rén dōu méiyǒu.There isn't a single person here
。Tā lián yí jù huà yě méi shuō.He didn't say a single word
。Wǒ lián yì fēn qián dōu méiyǒu.I haven't got a penny

Here (lián) is often left out, with no change: (zhèlǐ yí ge rén dōu méiyǒu). That shorter version is on 一点儿也不.

Not even doing it: 连 (lián) + verb + 都没 (dōu méi) + verb

连 lián + the surprising thing都 dōu or 也 yě不 bù or 没 méi (not)What do the colours mean?

The surprising thing can be the action itself. The verb goes in the frame, then comes back after the negative:

HanziPinyinEnglish
。Tā lián kàn dōu méi kàn.He didn't even look
。Tā lián xiǎng dōu méi xiǎng.She didn't even think about it
。Wǒ lián tīng dōu méi tīngshuō guo.I've never even heard of it

连 (lián), 把 (bǎ) and 甚至 (shènzhì)

连 lián + the surprising thing都 dōu or 也 yě不 bù or 没 méi (not)What do the colours mean?

Three neighbours, three rules:

HanziPinyinEnglish
。Tā lián mén dōu méi guān.He didn't even close the door
。Tā fàn dōu méi chī.He hasn't even eaten (casual)
。Shènzhì lián tā dōu bù zhīdào.Even he doesn't know

(lián) and (bǎ) both bring the object forward, so they never stack on one noun: is wrong. In casual speech can drop when stress carries the "even", as in the second row; (dōu) never can. (shènzhì), even, is a plain adverb: it works alone, (tā shènzhì bù zhīdào), or in front of for extra weight.

Mistakes English speakers make

WrongRightWhy
。。 (lián) needs (dōu) or (yě)
。。the (lián) phrase goes before the verb
。。 (bù) after (dōu); (bù dōu) is "not all"
。。 and (bǎ) do not stack
。。 (lián) goes before what it stresses

What to do next

  1. Do the drill below.
  2. Describe a lazy day with three sentences: … (wǒ lián fàn dōu méi zuò…).
  3. Then read 除了…以外, where (dōu) and (hái) in the second half decide the meaning.

Practise: test yourself

Put the words in order

0/3

Put the words in order.

  1. Even the teacher doesn't know.

    Your sentence is empty.

  2. He didn't even close the door.

    Your sentence is empty.

  3. He didn't say a single word.

    Your sentence is empty.

Sort into groups

0/4

What does 都 mean in each sentence?

Tap a word, then the group it belongs in.

Pick the right one

0/3

Pick the Mandarin for the English.

  1. He hasn't even eaten.

  2. Even he doesn't know.

  3. He didn't even look.

Spot the mistake

0/2

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

  1. lián lǎo shī bù dōu zhī dào 。

  2. zhè lǐ lián yí gè rén jiù méi yǒu 。

Matching

0/4

Match each sentence to its English.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say 'even' in Mandarin?
(lián) + the surprising thing + (dōu) or (yě) + verb: (lián háizi dōu zhīdào), even children know. The phrase comes before the verb, even when it is the object: (tā lián mén dōu méi guān), he didn't even close the door.
Can I leave out (dōu) or (yě) after (lián)?
No. is not a sentence; say (lián tā dōu bù zhīdào), even he doesn't know. It is that can sometimes drop in casual speech, when stress carries the 'even': (tā fàn dōu méi chī), he hasn't even eaten.
What is the difference between … and …?
In most sentences, none: and (lián tā yě bù zhīdào) both mean 'even he doesn't know'. (dōu) is the commoner, especially in positive sentences, so it is the safe default.
Where does (bù) or (méi) go in a sentence?
After (dōu) or (yě), straight before the verb: (lián lǎoshī dōu bù zhīdào), even the teacher doesn't know. (bù dōu) in that order means 'not all', which is something else.
How do you say 'not even one' in Mandarin?
(lián) + (yī) + measure word + noun + or + or : (zhèlǐ lián yí ge rén dōu méiyǒu), there isn't a single person here; (tā lián yí jù huà yě méi shuō), he didn't say a word. can drop here: .