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  <h1>Expressing "everything" with "<span class="pinyinst">shenme dou</span>" "<span class="hanzist">什么……都</span>"</h1>

  <p><span class="hanzi">什么……都</span> (<span class="pinyin">shénme... dōu</span>) is a pattern often used to express "all" or "everything." Because it's not just one word, though, it can be a little tricky to get the hang of at first.</p>

  <h2 id="basic-usage">Basic Usage</h2>

  <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>

  <p>In this structure, <span class="hanzi">都</span> (<span class="pinyin">dōu</span>) is more frequently used than <span class="hanzi">也</span> (<span class="pinyin">yě</span>)。</p>

  <div class="deux">
    <p>Topic (+ Subj.) + <span class="hanzist">什么</span> + <span class="hanzist">都</span> / <span class="hanzist">也</span> + Verb / Adj.</p>
  </div>

  <p>In some sentences, there will be a subject after the topic in the pattern above. See the following sentences for examples.</p>

  <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>

  <p>When used in the positive sense, it is more natural to follow <span class="hanzi">什么</span> (<span class="pinyin">shénme</span>) with <span class="hanzi">都</span> (<span class="pinyin">dōu</span>) rather than <span class="hanzi">也</span> (<span class="pinyin">yě</span>) to express "everything."</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">我 觉得 这里 的 菜 什么 都 好吃。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde zhèlǐ de cài shénme dōu hǎochī.</span> <br/> I think everything is delicious here.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">中国 的 历史 爸爸 什么 都 知道。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó de lìshǐ bàba shénme dōu zhīdào.</span> <br/> My dad knows everything about Chinese history.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">工作 的 事情 老公 什么 都 跟 我 说。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Gōngzuò de shìqing lǎogōng shénme dōu gēn wǒ shuō.</span> <br/> My husband tells me everything about work stuff.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">妈妈 做 的 菜 我 什么 都 喜欢。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Māma zuò de cài wǒ shénme dōu xǐhuan.</span> <br/> I like everything that mom cooks.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我女朋友 觉得 外国 的 东西 什么 都 好。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin"> Wǒ nǚpéngyou juéde wàiguó de dōngxi shénme dōu hǎo.</span> <br/> My girlfriend thinks that all foreign things are good.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="structure-with-a-noun">Structure with a Noun</h2>

  <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>

  <div class="deux">
    <p><span class="hanzist">什么</span> + Noun + <span class="hanzist">都</span> + Verb</p>
  </div>

  <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">我们 什么 果汁 都 喝。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen shénme guǒzhī dōu hē.</span> <br/> We drink any kind of fruit juice.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">她 什么 衣服 都 是 黑色 的。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Tā shénme yīfu dōu shì hēisè de.</span> <br/> All of her clothes are black.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">妈妈 做 的 什么 菜 都 好吃。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Māma zuò de shénme cài dōu hǎochī.</span> <br/> All of the dishes mom makes are tasty.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我男朋友 什么 运动 都 喜欢。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou shénme yùndòng dōu xǐhuan.</span> <br/> My boyfriend likes all kinds of sports.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 不 应该 什么 话 都 跟 他 说。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù yīnggāi shénme huà dōu gēn tā shuō.</span> <br/> You shouldn't tell him everything.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="negative-structure">Negative Structure</h2>

  <h3 id="structures">Structures</h3>

  <p>The negative structure simply adds a <span class="hanzi">不</span> (<span class="pinyin">bù</span>) or a <span class="hanzi">没</span> (<span class="pinyin">méi</span>) after the <span class="hanzi">都</span> (<span class="pinyin">dōu</span>) / <span class="hanzi">也</span> (<span class="pinyin">yě</span>). Instead of "all" or "everything," this expresses "none" or "not any."</p>

  <div class="deux">
    <p><span class="hanzist">什么</span> + Noun + <span class="hanzist">都</span> / <span class="hanzist">也</span> + 不 + Verb</p>
  </div>

  <p></p>

  <div class="deux">
    <p><span class="hanzist">什么</span> + Noun + <span class="hanzist">都</span> / <span class="hanzist">也</span> + <span class="hanzist">没</span> (<span class="hanzist">有</span>) + Verb</p>
  </div>

  <h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">生病 以后，爸爸 什么 酒 都 不 能 喝 了。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Shēngbìng yǐhòu, bàba shénme jiǔ dōu bù néng hē le.</span> <br/> After dad got sick, he can't drink any kind of alcohol.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">老板 现在 很 生气，什么 人 也 不 见。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xiànzài hěn shēngqì, shénme rén yě bù jiàn.</span> <br/> The boss is very angry. He's doesn't want to see anybody.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">今天 我 不 舒服，什么 东西 都 没 吃。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒ bù shūfu, shénme dōngxi dōu méi chī.</span> <br/> Today I don't feel well, so I didn't eat anything.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">昨天 开会 的时候，她 什么 话 也 没 说。</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Zuótiān kāihuì de shíhou, tā shénme huà yě méi shuō.</span> <br/> She didn't say anything at yesterday's meeting.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 在 家里 怎么 什么 事 都 不 做？</span> <br/> <span class="pinyin">Nǐ zài jiālǐ zěnme shénme shì dōu bù zuò?</span> <br/> How come you haven't done anything at home?</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2>

  <ul>
    <li><a href="Expressing_&quot;every_time&quot;_with_&quot;mei&quot;_and_&quot;dou&quot;" title="wikilink">Expressing "every time" with "mei" and "dou"</a></li>

    <li><a href="Expressing_&quot;every&quot;_with_question_words" title="wikilink">Expressing "every" with question words</a></li>
  </ul>

  <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>

  <h3 id="books">Books</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>&gt;Common Chinese Patterns 330 (<span class="hanzi">汉语常用格式330例</span>)(p. 195)</li>

    <li>Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 286-8)</li>

    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 216-7)</li>

    <li>40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (<span class="hanzi">基础汉语40课下册</span>） (p. 314)</li>
  </ul>
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