How to Say “Even” with 甚至 (shènzhì)
甚至 (shènzhì) is “even,” used to take an idea one step further, appending the most extreme case to what you just said. Two shapes. To emphasise a noun, it caps a list: 大家都来了，甚至老板也来了 (“everyone came, even the boss”). In a complex sentence it heads a whole clause, often wrapping 连: 这个问题很简单，甚至连孩子都知道 (“so simple even a kid knows it”). The predicate usually echoes with 也 or 都.
Why this trips learners up
甚至 (shènzhì) is “even,” the word for taking an idea one step further. The Grammar Wiki puts it nicely: it's as if the speaker realises halfway through that they haven't gone far enough, and wants to push the point to its most extreme case. So you make a statement, then reach for 甚至 to add the surprising, over-the-top example that drives it home: 他很粗心，甚至把自己的名字写错了 (“he's so careless he even wrote his own name wrong”). Whatever follows 甚至 is the “that far?!” item.
Use 1: emphasise a noun (cap a list). The frame is [noun or list]，甚至 + [the extreme noun] + 都 / 也 ……. You name some ordinary members, then 甚至 introduces the one nobody expected, and the predicate echoes with 都 or 也: 大家都来了，甚至老板也来了 (“everyone came, even the boss”), 他会说英语、法语、日语，甚至阿拉伯语都会 (“he speaks English, French, Japanese, even Arabic”). The 甚至 item is the peak of the list, the most surprising or most extreme.
Use 2: escalate a whole clause. Here 甚至 heads a fresh clause that pushes the point further, ……，甚至 + (连) …… + 都 / 也. Very often it wraps 连 (lián) for an extra layer of “even”: 这个问题很简单，甚至连孩子都知道 (“this is so simple even a kid knows it”), 那天太冷了，甚至连河水都结冰了 (“it was so cold even the river froze”). It can also escalate to a stronger action with 甚至还: 他不但不感谢我，甚至还怪我 (“not only did he not thank me, he even blamed me”).
The word to keep 甚至 straight from is 连…都 (its B1 twin, since English “even” covers both). The difference is what each one grabs. 连…都 / 也 brackets a single surprising element on its own, with 连 in front and 都/也 behind, no build-up required: 连孩子都知道 (“even a kid knows”). 甚至 escalates, appending a more extreme case to a point you're already making, and it can push all the way into a whole clause, which 连…都 can't. They also team up, 甚至连…都 stacking both markers for the strongest “even” of all. One last note: the 也 / 都 that echoes after 甚至 is an internal Chinese partner, not something to translate, so “even the boss came” is 甚至老板也来了, with the 也 doing quiet reinforcing work.
The structure
Colour key
Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.
Examples in context
Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.
Tap a word to see its grammatical role.
dàjiā 大家 Subject dōu 都 Adverb lái le 来了， Verb shènzhì 甚至 Pattern lǎobǎn 老板 Subject yě 也 Adverb lái le 来了 Verb
Everyone came, even the boss came (甚至 caps a group, 也 echo).
tā huì shuō hěn duō zhǒng yǔyán 他会说很多种语言， Other Yīngyǔ, Fǎyǔ, Rìyǔ 英语、法语、日语， Object shènzhì 甚至 Pattern Ālābóyǔ 阿拉伯语 Object dōu 都 Adverb huì 会 Verb
He speaks many languages, English, French, Japanese, even Arabic (甚至 caps a list, 都 echo).
zhè jiàn shì quán gōngsī dōu zhīdào le 这件事全公司都知道了， Other shènzhì 甚至 Pattern ménkǒu de bǎo’ān 门口的保安 Subject yě 也 Adverb tīngshuō le 听说了 Verb
The whole company knows now; even the security guard at the door has heard (the surprising extra, 也 echo).
tā è jí le 他饿极了， Other shènzhì 甚至 Pattern lián 连 Adverb shèngfàn 剩饭 Object dōu 都 Adverb chī guāng le 吃光了 Verb
He was starving, he even finished off the leftovers (甚至连…都, both markers stacked).
nà tiān tài lěng le 那天太冷了， Other shènzhì 甚至 Pattern lián 连 Adverb héshuǐ 河水 Subject dōu 都 Adverb jié bīng le 结冰了 Verb
It was so cold that day that even the river froze (甚至连…都).
tā gōngzuò tài pīn le 他工作太拼了， Other shènzhì 甚至 Pattern zhōumò 周末 Time yě 也 Adverb bù 不 Negation xiūxi 休息 Verb
He works so hard he doesn't even rest on weekends (甚至…也 with a negative).
zhè bù diànyǐng tài gǎnrén le 这部电影太感人了， Other shènzhì 甚至 Pattern zuò zài wǒ pángbiān de dàshū 坐在我旁边的大叔 Subject dōu 都 Adverb kū le 哭了 Verb
The film was so moving that even the middle-aged man next to me cried (甚至 escalating to a surprising person).
tā bùdàn bù gǎnxiè wǒ 他不但不感谢我， Other shènzhì 甚至 Pattern hái 还 Adverb guài 怪 Verb wǒ 我 Object duō guǎn xiánshì 多管闲事 Other
Not only did he not thank me, he even blamed me for meddling (甚至还, escalating to a stronger action).
Common mistakes
Why it happens: 甚至 escalates from something already said, so it can't open a statement cold. You need a baseline first: 大家都来了，甚至老板也来了 (“everyone came, even the boss”). A bare 甚至老板来了 has nothing to build on and sounds unfinished.
Why it happens: The echoing 也 / 都 goes after the emphasised item and before the verb, not in front of 甚至. It's 甚至我的家人也不支持 (“even my family doesn't support it”), not 甚至也我的家人不支持. Order: 甚至 + [the extreme item] + 也/都 + verb.
Why it happens: When you bring in 连, keep its 都 / 也 partner, because 连 can't stand bare. “Even a kid knows” is 甚至连孩子都知道, not 甚至连孩子知道. The 连…都 frame always closes with 都 or 也 behind the noun.
Compare & contrast
| 甚至 (escalates: appends a more extreme case, can head a clause) | 连…都 / 也 (brackets one surprising element) | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| 大家都不同意，甚至我最好的朋友也反对dàjiā dōu bù tóngyì, shènzhì wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou yě fǎnduì = “nobody agreed; even my best friend was against it” (甚至 appends the most extreme case to a point) | 连我最好的朋友都反对lián wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou dōu fǎnduì = “even my best friend was against it” (连…都 brackets that one surprising person, no build-up needed) | 大家都不同意，甚至我最好的朋友也反对 uses 甚至 to append the most extreme case to a point you're already making (“even my best friend”). 连我最好的朋友都反对 uses the 连…都 frame to spotlight that one surprising person on its own, no build-up needed. 甚至 escalates; 连…都 spotlights. |
| 他很粗心，甚至把自己的名字写错了tā hěn cūxīn, shènzhì bǎ zìjǐ de míngzi xiě cuò le = “he’s so careless he even wrote his own name wrong” (甚至 escalates to a whole clause) | 他连自己的名字都写错了tā lián zìjǐ de míngzi dōu xiě cuò le = “he even got his own name wrong” (连…都 brackets the noun 名字) | 他很粗心，甚至把自己的名字写错了 lets 甚至 push all the way to a whole clause (“he even wrote his own name wrong”). 他连自己的名字都写错了 wraps the 连…都 frame around the noun 名字. 甚至 can escalate an entire clause; 连…都 brackets a noun. |
Try it yourself
Say “Everyone left; even the teacher left.” Give 甚至 a baseline first, then echo with 也: 大家都走了，甚至老师也走了.
Related patterns
Quick reference card
How to Say “Even” with 甚至 (shènzhì) grammar.merrymandarin.com A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.