HSK 4 grammar · new HSK syllabus
甚至: even
甚至 introduces a surprising, more extreme point: 他很忙，甚至周末也工作.
Structure
- …，甚至 + stronger point
- 甚至 + noun + 也 / 都 + …
How it works
甚至 adds a point that goes further than what came before: 他很喜欢中国菜，甚至自己学着做.
Before a noun, it is often followed by 也 or 都: 甚至孩子都知道.
Examples
-
他工作很忙，甚至周末也要加班。
Tā gōngzuò hěn máng, shènzhì zhōumò yě yào jiābān.
He’s very busy; he even works at weekends.
-
这首歌很流行，甚至孩子们都会唱。
Zhè shǒu gē hěn liúxíng, shènzhì háizi men dōu huì chàng.
This song is very popular; even children can sing it.
-
他紧张得甚至说不出话来。
Tā jǐnzhāng de shènzhì shuō bù chū huà lái.
He was so nervous he couldn’t even speak.
-
有些人喜欢喝咖啡，甚至一天喝五杯。
Yǒuxiē rén xǐhuan hē kāfēi, shènzhì yì tiān hē wǔ bēi.
Some people love coffee and even drink five cups a day.
-
这个问题很简单，甚至小学生都知道答案。
Zhège wèntí hěn jiǎndān, shènzhì xiǎoxuéshēng dōu zhīdào dá’àn.
This question is easy; even primary pupils know the answer.
Words in these examples (38)
| 他 | tā | he; him | HSK 1 |
| 工作 | gōngzuò | to work; job; work | HSK 1 |
| 很 | hěn | very | HSK 1 |
| 忙 | máng | busy | HSK 1 |
| 甚至 | shènzhì | even | HSK 4 |
| 周末 | zhōumò | weekend | HSK 3 |
| 也 | yě | also; too | HSK 1 |
| 要 | yào | to want; will; should | HSK 1 |
| 加班 | jiābān | to work overtime | HSK 4 |
| 这 | zhè | this | HSK 1 |
| 首 | shǒu | (measure word for songs, poems) | HSK 4 |
| 歌 | gē | song | HSK 1 |
| 流行 | liúxíng | popular; to be in fashion | HSK 4 |
| 孩子 | háizi | child | HSK 1 |
| 们 | men | (plural ending for people, as in 我们) | HSK 1 |
| 都 | dōu | all; both | HSK 1 |
| 会 | huì | can; to know how to | HSK 1 |
| 唱 | chàng | to sing | HSK 1 |
| 紧张 | jǐnzhāng | nervous; tense | HSK 4 |
| 得 | de | (particle after a verb before a description of how it is done, as in 说得很好) | HSK 2 |
| 说 | shuō | to say; to speak | HSK 1 |
| 不 | bù | not; no | HSK 1 |
| 出 | chū | to go out; to come out | HSK 2 |
| 来 | lái | to come | HSK 1 |
| 有些 | yǒuxiē | some; somewhat | HSK 1 |
| 人 | rén | person; people | HSK 1 |
| 喜欢 | xǐhuan | to like | HSK 1 |
| 喝 | hē | to drink | HSK 1 |
| 咖啡 | kāfēi | coffee | HSK 2 |
| 一 | yī | one | HSK 1 |
| 天 | tiān | day; sky | HSK 1 |
| 五 | wǔ | five | HSK 1 |
| 这个 | zhège | this one | HSK 1 |
| 问题 | wèntí | question; problem | HSK 1 |
| 简单 | jiǎndān | simple | HSK 3 |
| 小学生 | xiǎoxuéshēng | primary school student | HSK 1 |
| 知道 | zhīdào | to know (a fact) | HSK 1 |
| 答案 | dá’àn | answer | HSK 4 |
Common mistakes
-
✗甚至他周末工作。
✓他甚至周末也工作。
甚至 usually comes after the subject and takes 也/都.
-
✗他很忙，甚至很累。
✓他很忙，甚至没时间吃饭。
甚至 introduces a more extreme fact, not just another description.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 他太累了， 站着都能睡着。
2. 甚至他的父母 不知道这件事。
3. 她很喜欢中国文化， 去中国读了大学。