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How to say “everything” in Chinese with 什么都 (shénme dōu)

什么 (shénme) + 都 (dōu) / 也 (yě)⋯⋯

什么 (shí mó) 都 (dōu) — everything

HSK 2Sentence Patterns

Rule structure

什么都 (shénme dōu) and 什么也 (shénme yě) change meaning depending on negation. In an affirmative sentence, they mean “everything” or “anything.” In a negative sentence with 不 (bù) or 没 (méi), they mean “nothing” or “not anything.”

Examples

我什么都吃。

Wǒ shénme dōu chī.

I eat everything.

她什么也不吃。

Tā shénme yě bùchī.

She doesn't eat anything.

我什么也不想买。

Wǒ shénme yě bùxiǎng mǎi.

I don't want to buy anything.

Practice

Build the sentence

Drag the characters to put them in the correct order

Characters

Words from this rule

什么

shénme

What? which?

都

dōu

All, both

也

yě

Also, too

我

wǒ

I, me

吃

chī

To eat

她

tā

She

不

bù

No, not

想

xiǎng

To want, to think, to miss

买

mǎi

To buy

他

tā

He

说

shuō

To speak, to say, to tell

Frequently asked questions

How do you say “everything” in Chinese with 什么 都?

Use the structure: 什么 (shénme) + 都 (dōu) / 也 (yě)⋯⋯. For example: 我什么都吃。 — “I eat everything”.

What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?

我什么都吃。 — “I eat everything”.

Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?

This grammar rule is part of HSK 2.

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More HSK 2 grammar rules

因为 — cause and effect

因为 (yīnwèi)⋯⋯ 所以 (suǒyǐ)⋯⋯

快 — about to happen

快 (kuài) + Verb / Adj. + 了 (le)

别 — stop doing

别 (bié) + Verb + 了 (le)

了 — already done

Subj. + Verb Phrase + 了 (le)

最 — superlative “most”

最 (zuì) + Adj. (+ 了 (le))

到 — direction with “to go to”

到 (dào) + Place + 去 (qù)

虽然 — although… but…

虽然 (suīrán)⋯⋯，但是 (dànshì) / 可是 (kěshì)⋯⋯

一下 — verbing briefly

Verb + 一下 (yíxià)