纵然……，也……
even if; even though (literary)
Structure
纵然 条件或事实 ， （主语） 也 结果
What it means
Even if, even though (literary): grants a fact or supposition, often an extreme one, and says the outcome holds anyway.
How it is built
纵然 + condition, (subject) + 也 + result: 纵然年近九旬，他也坚持下田看稻子 (Even at nearly ninety he still went out to the fields). Extreme case: 纵然…再….
When to use it
Speeches, essays and solemn prose: it is the written 即使 (1-7), met with 纵使 in 4-14. In speech use 即使 or 就算.
Watch out
Keep 也 (or 仍然, 都) in the second clause, and never pair 纵然 with 所以: ✗纵然很累，所以… ✓纵然很累，他也…
Examples
纵然年近九旬，他也坚持下田看稻子。
Even when he was nearly ninety he still insisted on going to the fields to look at the rice.
纵然困难再大，我们也要把这条路修通。
However great the difficulties, we will get this road built.
纵然你说得再有道理，他也不会听的。
However right you are, he will not listen.
Learn this in Lesson 127 · HSK 7–9: 送别袁隆平 (Obituary: farewell to Yuan Longping)
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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