ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/A2/91.mw.html

<p>什么……都 (shénme... dōu) is a pattern often used to express &quot;all&quot; or &quot;everything.&quot; 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, 都 (dōu) is more frequently used than 也 (yě)。</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Topic (+ Subj.) + 什么 + 都 / 也 + 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 什么 (shénme) with 都 (dōu) rather than 也 (yě) to express &quot;everything.&quot;</p>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>我 觉得 这里 的 菜 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 好吃。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde zhèlǐ de cài <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> hǎochī.</span><span class="trans">I think everything is delicious here.</span></li>
<li>中国 的 历史 爸爸 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 知道。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó de lìshǐ bàba <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> zhīdào.</span><span class="trans">My dad knows everything about Chinese history.</span></li>
<li>工作 的 事情 老公 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 跟 我 说。<span class="pinyin">Gōngzuò de shìqing lǎogōng <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> gēn wǒ shuō.</span><span class="trans">My husband tells me everything about work stuff.</span></li>
<li>妈妈 做 的 菜 我 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 喜欢。<span class="pinyin">Māma zuò de cài wǒ <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> xǐhuan.</span><span class="trans">I like everything that mom cooks.</span></li>
<li>我女朋友 觉得 外国 的 东西 <em>什么</em> <em>都</em> 好。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nǚpéngyou juéde wàiguó de dōngxi <em>shénme</em> <em>dōu</em> hǎo.</span><span class="trans">My girlfriend thinks that all foreign things are good.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="structure-with-a-noun">Structure with a Noun</h2>
<h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>什么 + Noun + 都 + Verb</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>我们 <em>什么</em> 果汁 <em>都</em> 喝。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>shénme</em> guǒzhī <em>dōu</em> hē.</span><span class="trans">We drink any kind of fruit juice.</span></li>
<li>她 <em>什么</em> 衣服 <em>都</em> 是 黑色 的。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>shénme</em> yīfu <em>dōu</em> shì hēisè de.</span><span class="trans">All of her clothes are black.</span></li>
<li>妈妈 做 的 <em>什么</em> 菜 <em>都</em> 好吃。<span class="pinyin">Māma zuò de <em>shénme</em> cài <em>dōu</em> hǎochī.</span><span class="trans">All of the dishes mom makes are tasty.</span></li>
<li>我男朋友 <em>什么</em> 运动 <em>都</em> 喜欢。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou <em>shénme</em> yùndòng <em>dōu</em> xǐhuan.</span><span class="trans">My boyfriend likes all kinds of sports.</span></li>
<li>你 不 应该 <em>什么</em> 话 <em>都</em> 跟 他 说。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù yīnggāi <em>shénme</em> huà <em>dōu</em> gēn tā shuō.</span><span class="trans">You shouldn't tell him everything.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="negative-structure">Negative Structure</h2>
<h3 id="structures">Structures</h3>
<p>The negative structure simply adds a 不 (bù) or a 没 (méi) after the 都 (dōu) / 也 (yě). Instead of &quot;all&quot; or &quot;everything,&quot; this expresses &quot;none&quot; or &quot;not any.&quot;</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>什么 + Noun + 都 / 也 + 不 + Verb</p>
</div>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>什么 + Noun + 都 / 也 + 没 (有) + Verb</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>生病 以后，爸爸 <em>什么</em> 酒 <em>都</em> <strong>不</strong> 能 喝 了。<span class="pinyin">Shēngbìng yǐhòu, bàba <em>shénme</em> jiǔ <em>dōu</em> <strong>bù</strong> néng hē le.</span><span class="trans">After dad got sick, he can't drink any kind of alcohol.</span></li>
<li>老板 现在 很 生气，<em>什么</em> 人 <em>也</em> <strong>不</strong> 见。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xiànzài hěn shēngqì, <em>shénme</em> rén <em> yě</em> <strong>bù</strong> jiàn.</span><span class="trans"> The boss is very angry. He's doesn't want to see anybody.</span></li>
<li>今天 我 不 舒服，<em>什么</em> 东西 <em>都</em> <strong>没</strong> 吃。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒ bù shūfu, <em>shénme</em> dōngxi <em>dōu</em> <strong>méi</strong> chī.</span><span class="trans">Today I don't feel well, so I didn't eat anything.</span></li>
<li>昨天 开会 的时候，她 <em>什么</em> 话 <em>也</em> <strong>没</strong> 说。<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān kāihuì de shíhou, tā <em>shénme</em> huà <em>yě</em> <strong>méi</strong> shuō.</span><span class="trans">She didn't say anything at yesterday's meeting.</span></li>
<li>你 在 家里 怎么 <em>什么</em> 事 <em>都</em> <strong>不</strong> 做？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zài jiālǐ zěnme <em>shénme</em> shì <em>dōu</em> <strong> bù </strong> zuò? </span><span class="trans">How come you haven't done anything at home? </span></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 &quot;every time&quot; with &quot;mei&quot; and &quot;dou&quot;</a></li>
<li><a href="Expressing_&quot;every&quot;_with_question_words" title="wikilink">Expressing &quot;every&quot; with question words</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="Common_Chinese_Patterns_330_(汉语常用格式330例)" title="wikilink">Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例)</a> (p. 195)<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7802006473/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=7802006473">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide" title="wikilink">Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide</a> (pp. 286-8) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0415700108">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed)" title="wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)</a> (pp. 216-7) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=0887276709">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="40_Lessons_for_Basic_Chinese_Course_(基础汉语40课下册）" title="wikilink">40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册）</a> (p. 314)<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=allset-20">→buy</a></li>
</ul>
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<p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p>