越…越…
the more A, the more B
Structure
越 A ， 越 B
What it means
The more A, the more B: as one thing increases, another grows with it. With a single subject (雨越下越大) it shows something getting steadily stronger.
How it is built
One subject: 越 + verb + 越 + adjective: 雨越下越大 (The rain got heavier and heavier). Two clauses: A 越…，B 越…: 离中心越近，关系越亲 (The nearer the centre, the closer the tie).
When to use it
Neutral, spoken and written. Compare 越来越 + adjective, which shows plain change over time with no cause named: 天气越来越冷. 越…越… ties the change to something else.
Watch out
越 goes before the verb or adjective, never before the subject: ✗ 越雨下越大 ✓ 雨越下越大. No 很 after 越: ✗ 我越想越很难过 ✓ 我越想越难过.
Examples
离中心越近，关系越亲。
The nearer the centre, the closer the tie.
我越想越觉得不对。
The more I think about it, the more wrong it seems.
Learn this in Lesson 30 · HSK 5–6: 面子、关系与人情 (Face, connections and favours)
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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