never; (not) at all; rhetorical negation
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesadverb
never; (not) at all; used in rhetorical questions to indicate negation or affirmation
When placed before an affirmative verb phrase, it conveys a negative meaning (e.g., 何尝去过 = never went). When placed before a negative verb phrase, it conveys a positive meaning (e.g., 何尝不想去 = actually want to go). This rhetorical device softens the tone while emphasizing the speaker's point.
Wǒ我
hé何
cháng尝
shuō说
guò过
zhè这
yàng样
de的
huà话
？
When did I ever say such a thing? (I certainly never said such a thing.)
Wǒ我
hé何
cháng尝
bù不
xiǎng想
qù去
，
zhǐ只
shì是
méi没
gōng工
fu夫
bà罢
le了
。
It's not that I don't want to go—I simply don't have the time.
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Tā他
hé何
cháng尝
bù不
zhī知
dào道
zhè这
jiàn件
shì事
de的
zhòng重
yào要
xìng性
？
How could he not know the importance of this matter? (He certainly knows.)