尚且

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Character Breakdown

Usage of 尚且

The adverb 尚且 is used to emphasize that even a certain condition or fact holds true, often implying that something more difficult or significant is even more so. It can be translated as "even," "still," or "let alone" in English.

Common contexts

尚且 often appears in sentences to highlight a contrast or to stress the difficulty or unexpectedness of a situation. For example, it can precede a negative statement to emphasize that if something simple is not possible, then more complex things are even less so.

Collocations and patterns

  • 尚且 + verb phrase: emphasizes that even this action or state is true.
  • ...尚且...,别说...: a common pattern meaning "even... can't..., let alone..."

Nuance and register

尚且 is somewhat formal and often used in written or formal spoken Chinese. It carries a tone of emphasis and sometimes mild surprise or concession.

Common confusion

Do not confuse 尚且 with (hái), which also means "still" but lacks the emphatic contrast function. 尚且 specifically highlights a condition that supports a stronger conclusion or contrast.

Example Sentences

He can't even answer the simplest questions, let alone the complex ones.

This matter still has no conclusion; we need more evidence.

He can still persevere; we should work even harder.