何况: all the more so

The head clause with 连…都 already says 'even the strong case fails': 这道题连老师都做不出来. 何况 then adds a still weaker case: 'let alone B' — 何况是学生呢？ A 呢 often follows. It leans written: in speech 别说 often takes its place.

Examples

• 这道题连老师都做不出来，何况是学生呢？ Zhè dào tí lián lǎoshī dōu zuò bù chūlái, hékuàng shì xuésheng ne? The teacher can't solve this, let alone the students.
• 我平时都不爱出门，何况下这么大的雨。 Wǒ píngshí dōu bú ài chūmén, hékuàng xià zhème dà de yǔ. I don't usually like going out anyway, let alone when it's raining this hard.
• 大人写不好，何况孩子。 Dàren xiě bù hǎo, hékuàng háizi. Even adults can't manage it, let alone children.

More in this chapter

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