let alone; much less; not to mention
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesconjunction
let alone; much less; not to mention; still less
Used in rhetorical questions to indicate that if something is true in a less extreme case, it is even more true in a more extreme case. Often appears with 呢 at the end of the sentence.
Tā他
zài在
shēng生
rén人
miàn面
qián前
dōu都
bù不
xí习
guàn惯
jiǎng讲
huà话
，
hé何
kuàng况
yào要
dào到
dà大
tíng庭
guǎng广
zhòng众
zhī之
zhōng中
ne呢
？
He doesn't even feel comfortable speaking in front of strangers, let alone going into a big public crowd.
Wǒ我
lián连
jiǎn简
dān单
de的
tí题
dōu都
bù不
huì会
zuò做
，
hé何
kuàng况
nán难
tí题
ne呢
？
I can't even solve easy problems, let alone difficult ones.
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Tā他
zì自
jǐ己
dōu都
yǎng养
bù不
huó活
，
hé何
kuàng况
hái还
yào要
yǎng养
huó活
yī一
jiā家
rén人
。
He can't even support himself, still less support a whole family.
Tiān天
qì气
zhè这
me么
rè热
，
hé何
kuàng况
nǐ你
hái还
zài在
fā发
shāo烧
，
kuài快
tǎng躺
xià下
xiū休
xi息
ba吧
。
The weather is so hot, and besides, you still have a fever—lie down and rest.