……,甚至于……
even; even to the point of
Structure
A , 甚至于 B(更进一步的情况)
What it means
“Even; even to the point of”: the same as 甚至, but more emphatic and a little more formal. What follows goes one step further than what came before.
How it is built
A , 甚至于 + stronger case (often with 连…都/也): 他忙得顾不上吃饭,甚至于连觉都没时间睡 (he's too busy to eat, or even sleep). It can head the last item of a list: 老人、孩子,甚至于小狗.
When to use it
To stress the most extreme step; plain 甚至 is the everyday choice. It suits writing and emphatic speech.
Watch out
The stronger case comes last. ✗ 他连觉都没时间睡,甚至于顾不上吃饭 ✓ 他顾不上吃饭,甚至于连觉都没时间睡.
Examples
有的读书人因为一两个字就丢了性命,甚至于连家人也受到牵连。
Some scholars lost their lives over a word or two, and sometimes even their families were dragged in.
他忙得顾不上吃饭,甚至于连觉都没时间睡。
He is so busy he has no time to eat, or even to sleep.
这首歌大人孩子都会唱,甚至于八十岁的老奶奶也能哼几句。
Grown-ups and children can all sing this song; even eighty-year-old grannies can hum a few lines.
Learn this in Lesson 99 · HSK 6–7: 康乾盛世 (The High Qing of Kangxi and Qianlong)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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