never; when have...ever?
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesadverb
never; when have...ever?
literaryUsed in classical or formal written Chinese to form a rhetorical question that strongly emphasizes that something has never happened.
Zài在
tā他
zhòng重
bìng病
qī期
jiān间
，
wǒ我
jǐ几
céng曾
ān安
shuì睡
guò过
yī一
yè夜
？
During his serious illness, when have I ever had a single peaceful night's sleep?
Tā他
jǐ几
céng曾
duì对
nǐ你
shuō说
guò过
huǎng谎
？
When has he ever lied to you?
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Wèi为
zhè这
shì事
yè业
，
wǒ我
jǐ几
céng曾
yǒu有
guò过
bàn半
diǎn点
sī私
xīn心
？
For this cause, when have I ever had the slightest selfish thought?