This grammar point is not about how to use 每 (měi) to mean "every," but rather how to combine
question words with
都 (dōu) to
make words and phrases like "everywhere" or "everyone." You may
have learned this same pattern for expressing "everything," but now it's time to
extend it.
Expressing "Everyone" with 谁
都
"谁 都" (shéi dōu) is a pattern used to express "everyone" (or
possibly "anyone") in Chinese. The placement of the question word 谁
is very similar to the way 什么 (shénme) can be used to express "every", along
with other question words like 哪儿 (nǎr) and 多少 (duōshǎo).
Structure
Examples
- 谁 都 喜欢 美食。Shéi dōu
xǐhuan měishí.Everyone likes delicious
food.
- 这个 地方 谁 都 可以 进 。 Zhège dìfang
shéi dōu kěyǐ jìn.Everyone can
go inside this place.
- 谁 都 不 相信 他 说 的 话 。 Shéi
dōu bù xiāngxìn tā shuō de huà.No
one believes what he said.
- 谁 都 不 希望 发生 这样 的 事 。 Shéi
dōu bù xīwàng fāshēng zhèyàng de shì.No one wants this kind of thing to happen.
- 谁 都 没 办法 证明 他 拿 了 公司 的 钱 。 Shéi dōu méi bànfǎ zhèngmíng tā ná le gōngsī de
qián.No one can prove that he took the
company's money.
Expressing "Everywhere"
with 哪儿 都
This pattern also works with 哪儿 (nǎr).
Structure
哪儿 / 哪里 + 都 + Verb Phrase
Examples
- 你 家 太 乱 了 ， 哪儿 都 是 脏 衣服 。Nǐ jiā tài luàn le, nǎr dōu shì zāng
yīfu.Your place is so messy. Dirty
clothes are everywhere.
- 昨天 运动 得 太 厉害 了 ， 现在 哪儿 都 疼 。 Zuótiān yùndòng de tài lìhai le, xiànzài nǎr
dōu téng.I exercised too
strenuously yesterday. Now everywhere hurts.
- 我 太 累 了，哪儿 都 不想 去。Wǒ tài
lèi le, nǎr dōu bù xiǎng qù.I'm too tired. I don't want to go anywhere.
Expressing "Whenever" with
什么时候 都
什么时候 (shénme shíhou) combines with 都 (dōu) to mean "whenever" or
"anytime."
Structure
Examples
- 你 什么 时候 来 都 行 。 Nǐ
shénme shíhou lái dōu xíng.You can come anytime.
- 什么 时候 开始 都 不 晚 。 Shénme shíhou kāishǐ dōu bù
wǎn.It's never too late to
begin.
- 我 家 什么 时候 都 有 人 在 。 Wǒ
jiā shénme shíhou dōu yǒu rén
zài.There is always someone at
home.
Expressing "However
Much" with 多少 都
多少 (duōshao) also works with "都" in this case.
Structure
多少 (+ Noun) + 都 + Verb Phrase
Examples
- 多少 钱 都 买 不到 这个 东西 。 Duōshao qián dōu mǎi bùdào zhège
dōngxi.You can't buy this thing at any
price.
- 你 想 吃 多少 都 可以 。 Nǐ xiǎng
chī duōshao dōu kěyǐ.You can eat however much you want.
- 这些 是 免费 的 ， 我们 拿 多少 都 没 问题 。 Zhèxiē shì miǎnfèi de, wǒmen ná duōshao
dōu méi wèntí.These are all
free. We can take however much we want.
Expressing "However" with 怎么
都
怎么 (zěnme) also works with "都" in this case.
Structure
Examples
- 我 想 怎么 做 都 可以 吗 ？ Wǒ
xiǎng zěnme zuò dōu kěyǐ ma? Is it OK if I do however I want?
- 别人 怎么 想 都 不 重要 。 Biérén
zěnme xiǎng dōu bù zhòngyào.It doesn't matter however other people think.
- 这 件 衣服 怎么 穿 都 好看 。 Zhè
jiàn yīfu zěnme chuān dōu
hǎokàn.This clothing looks good however
you wear it.
See also
Sources and further
reading
Books
Category:B1 grammar points