Definition
尚且 (shàng qiě) is a formal conjunction used in the pattern '尚且…何况…' to mean 'even' — it states a fact in the first clause to set up a stronger contrast in the second (e.g., 'Even he can't do it, let alone you'). Unlike 甚至 ('even'), which can appear in various positions, 尚且 only works in this contrasting pair structure and sounds more literary.
conjunction
even (used in the first clause to set up a stronger contrast, often paired with 何况 or 更不用说)
Examples
- 尚且，？Tā shàng qiě bú huì zuò, hékuàng nǐ?Even he doesn't know how to do it, so how could you?
- ，尚且，？Zhè zhǒng jiǎndān de dàolǐ, háizi shàng qiě míngbai, dàrén zěnme huì bù dǒng?Even a child understands such simple reasoning — how could an adult not get it?
- 尚且，？Wǒ shàng qiě méi shíjiān, nǐ hái yào wǒ péi nǐ qù?I don't even have time, and you still want me to go with you?
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