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How to say “let alone” in Chinese with 别说 (biéshuō)

别说 (biéshuō)⋯⋯，就是 (jiùshì)⋯⋯

Expressing "let alone" with "别说 (biéshuō)"

HSK 5Sentence Patterns

Rule structure

别说 (biéshuō)…就是 (jiùshì)… means “let alone…, even…”. The first part names the harder or more remote case, and the second part shows that even the easier case does not hold.

Examples

别说英文，就是中文他也说不好。

Bié shuō Yīngwén, jiùshì Zhōngwén tā yě shuō bù hǎo.

Let alone English, he can’t even speak Chinese well.

Practice

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Frequently asked questions

How do you express “Expressing "let alone" with "别说 (biéshuō)"” in Chinese?

Use the structure: 别说 (biéshuō)⋯⋯，就是 (jiùshì)⋯⋯. For example: 别说英文，就是中文他也说不好。 — “Let alone English, he can’t even speak Chinese well.”.

What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?

别说英文，就是中文他也说不好。 — “Let alone English, he can’t even speak Chinese well.”.

Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?

This grammar rule is part of HSK 5.

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