Chinese word

何况

Pronunciation

Pinyinhé kuàng

Meaning

  • conjunctionlet alone

Example

他连中文都不会，何况英文。tā lián zhōng wén dōu bú huì hé kuàng yīng wén

He can't even speak Chinese, let alone English.

Illustration for 何况 (let alone)

More examples

他已经忙得不可开交，何况还要抽时间去参加聚会。tā yǐ jīng máng de bù kě kāi jiāo hé kuàng hái yào chōu shí jiān qù cān jiā jù huì

He is already so busy that he can barely keep up, let alone find time to attend a gathering.

Core concept

A step-up link that moves from one established fact to an even stronger or more difficult case.

Common phrases

  • 更何况gèng hé kuàng

    let alone

Similar words

更不用说gèng bú yòng shuō: Adds a more extreme case with strong emphasis on its greater degree.
不用说bú yòng shuō: Presents an obvious further point that does not need to be stated or explained.

Definition in Chinese

用于在陈述一件事后，借此提出比前项更明显或更不利的情况，常用于说明程度或作反证。yòng yú zài chén shù yí jiàn shì hòu jiè cǐ tí chū bǐ qián xiàng gèng míng xiǎn huò gèng bú lì de qíng kuàng cháng yòng yú shuō míng chéng dù huò zuò fǎn zhèng

Word origin

何况 (hékuàng, "what about the situation?") developed from 何 (hé, "what") + 况 (kuàng, "situation") into a connector for introducing a still stronger case.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this connector often follows a statement about lack, inability, or difficulty; after a favorable fact, it can sound unnatural.

Other meanings

  • all the moreconjunction

Word lists with this word