别说 and 别看: not to mention, even though it looks

别说 means 'not to mention': the weaker case comes first, the stronger after: 这道题别说小学生…. 别看 means 'don't let it fool you': 别看这个孩子才五岁…. 别看 opens the first (conceding) clause; 别说 stands after the comma, before the stronger case.

Examples

• 这道题别说小学生，连大学生也不一定会做。 Zhè dào tí biéshuō xiǎoxuésheng, lián dàxuéshēng yě bù yídìng huì zuò. A schoolchild is not even in the picture — even a student may not solve this problem.
• 别看这个孩子才五岁，做起饭来可熟练了。 Biékàn zhège háizi cái wǔ suì, zuò qǐ fàn lái kě shúliàn le. He may be only five, but he cooks nothing like a child.
• 别看他个子小，力气很大。 Biékàn tā gèzi xiǎo, lìqi hěn dà. Small as he is, he has plenty of strength.

More in this chapter

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