连 … 都 … 不 / 没 (not even)
"He doesn't even…"
- to link连 … all / both都 / also也 + not不 / not / haven't没 + Verb = "not even …".
- he / him他连饭all / both都不吃 = "he doesn't even eat."
- to link连 spotlights the most basic case as a surprise.
to link连 + X + all / both都 / also也 + not不 / not / haven't没 + Verb
- to link连…all / both都… raises an extreme, minimal example.
he他even连food饭even都not不eat吃。
- 连饭all / both都不吃 = "(he) doesn't even eat."
Practice
He doesn't even eat: 他 ____ 饭都不吃。
连 + X + 都 + 不 … = not even X: 连饭都不吃.
Practice
连 pairs with 都 / 也 in this pattern.
Yes — 连…都…, 连…也….
The lower the bar, the stronger
- The more basic the X, the more striking the claim.
Explore
Correct or broken?
连 … 都 + negative drops below the minimum: not even THAT.
Practice
What does 连…都… highlight?
The more basic the X, the more striking the claim.
Recap
Key idea
- to link连 + X + all / both都 / also也 + not不 / not / haven't没 + Verb — "not even X"
- he / him他连饭all / both都不吃 · to link连name (of a person or thing)名字all / both都not不to know知道
- to link连 spotlights a minimal case for emphasis
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Sentence patterns.