都

dōu: 都 - All, Both, Even

Quick Summary

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  • Summary: An essential guide to understanding the Chinese adverb 都 (dōu). Learn how this fundamental HSK 1 word is used to mean “all” or “both,” how its placement in a sentence is crucial, and how it can also be used for emphasis to mean “even” or “already.” This page provides clear explanations, cultural context, and dozens of practical examples to help beginners master one of the most common words in Mandarin Chinese.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): dōu
  • Part of Speech: Adverb
  • HSK Level: HSK 1
  • Concise Definition: An adverb indicating that a verb or adjective applies to every member of a preceding group of nouns or pronouns.
  • In a Nutshell: `都 (dōu)` is the key to talking about groups in Chinese. Think of it as a net that gathers up everything mentioned before it in the sentence (e.g., “we,” “they,” “the apples,” “my parents”) and applies the following action or description to the entire collection. If you want to say “We are all students” or “My parents both like tea,” you absolutely need `都`. It's a grammatical powerhouse that turns individual statements into collective ones.

Character Breakdown

  • 都 (dōu): This character is a phono-semantic compound. The right part, 者 (zhě), originally provided the sound. The left part, 阝(a radical form of 邑 yì), means “city” or “town.” The character's original meaning was “capital city,” as seen in the word 首都 (shǒudū - capital). The evolution to “all” can be thought of conceptually: the capital is where everything and everyone of importance gathers. In modern Chinese, the “all/both” meaning is far more common in everyday speech, while the “capital” meaning appears in specific, formal nouns.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • `都 (dōu)` subtly reflects a more collective-oriented worldview compared to the individualism often emphasized in Western cultures. In English, the plural is often sufficient. For example, “The students left.” It's understood that all the students in question left.
  • In Chinese, it is more natural and grammatically standard to explicitly mark the action as applying to the entire group: 学生都走了 (Xuéshēng dōu zǒu le). The inclusion of `都` reinforces the idea of the group acting as a single, collective unit.
  • This isn't a heavy philosophical point in daily conversation, but it highlights a linguistic habit of viewing and describing things in terms of the whole group. For a learner, mastering `都` isn't just about grammar; it's about adopting a more natural-sounding Chinese sentence structure that acknowledges the collective nature of a subject.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • `都` is one of the most frequently used adverbs in spoken and written Chinese. Its usage is not formal or informal; it's simply standard.
  • 1. Meaning “All” or “Both”
    • This is its primary function. It must be placed after the plural subject and before the verb or adjective.
    • For groups of two: `我们俩都喜欢看电影。 (Wǒmen liǎ dōu xǐhuān kàn diànyǐng.)` - We both like to watch movies.
    • For groups of three or more: `孩子们都睡着了。 (Háizimen dōu shuìzháo le.)` - The children have all fallen asleep.
  • 2. For Emphasis, Meaning “Even”
    • This is a very common structure: `连 + [Subject] + 都 + [Verb/Adjective]`. It expresses surprise or highlights something unexpected.
    • `连老师都不知道这个问题的答案。 (Lián lǎoshī dōu bù zhīdào zhège wèntí de dá'àn.)` - Even the teacher doesn't know the answer to this question.
  • 3. Indicating Time or Degree
    • `都` can be used to add emphasis to time, age, or a certain state, often with a sense of “already” or “it's gone this far.” It often carries a tone of slight surprise, complaint, or urgency.
    • `都十点了，你怎么还不起床？ (Dōu shí diǎn le, nǐ zěnme hái bù qǐchuáng?)` - It's already 10 o'clock, why are you still not up?
  • 4. In Questions to Mean “What all” or “Who all”
    • When used with a question word like `谁 (shéi)` or `什么 (shénme)`, `都` implies that the speaker expects a plural answer or a list.
    • `你们都喜欢吃什么？ (Nǐmen dōu xǐhuān chī shénme?)` - What do you all like to eat? (Expecting a list of foods).

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 我们都是学生。
    • Pinyin: Wǒmen dōu shì xuéshēng.
    • English: We are all students.
    • Analysis: The most classic beginner example. `都` comes after the plural subject “我们” (we) and before the verb “是” (are) to apply the status of “student” to the entire group.
  • Example 2:
    • 这些苹果都很甜。
    • Pinyin: Zhèxiē píngguǒ dōu hěn tián.
    • English: These apples are all very sweet.
    • Analysis: Here, the subject is “these apples” (这些苹果), and `都` applies the quality of “very sweet” (很甜) to every apple in the group.
  • Example 3:
    • 爸爸和妈妈都在中国。
    • Pinyin: Bàba hé māmā dōu zài Zhōngguó.
    • English: Dad and Mom are both in China.
    • Analysis: When the subject is two items joined by “和” (and), `都` means “both.”
  • Example 4:
    • 你说的我都懂。
    • Pinyin: Nǐ shuō de wǒ dōu dǒng.
    • English: I understand everything you said.
    • Analysis: The subject that `都` refers to is “你说的” (what you said). This shows that the “subject” can be a clause, not just a simple noun or pronoun.
  • Example 5:
    • 连他都会说中文，你为什么不会？
    • Pinyin: Lián tā dōu huì shuō Zhōngwén, nǐ wèishéme bù huì?
    • English: Even he can speak Chinese, why can't you?
    • Analysis: This is the `连…都…` structure for emphasis. It highlights the unexpectedness of “he” being able to speak Chinese.
  • Example 6:
    • 都这么晚了，我们回家吧。
    • Pinyin: Dōu zhème wǎn le, wǒmen huí jiā ba.
    • English: It's already so late, let's go home.
    • Analysis: `都` is used here to emphasize the lateness. It conveys a sense of “since it's already so late…”
  • Example 7:
    • 我等了你一个小时，你怎么现在都没来？
    • Pinyin: Wǒ děng le nǐ yī gè xiǎoshí, nǐ zěnme xiànzài dōu méi lái?
    • English: I've waited for you for an hour, how come you haven't even come yet?
    • Analysis: Used in a negative sense, `都` can mean “not even” or “still not.” It strengthens the negation.
  • Example 8:
    • 昨天来的人都是谁？
    • Pinyin: Zuótiān lái de rén dōu shì shéi?
    • English: Who all were the people who came yesterday?
    • Analysis: Using `都` with the question word `谁` (who) signals that the speaker expects to hear about more than one person.
  • Example 9:
    • 只要你努力，什么问题都可以解决。
    • Pinyin: Zhǐyào nǐ nǔlì, shénme wèntí dōu kěyǐ jiějué.
    • English: As long as you work hard, any problem can be solved.
    • Analysis: `都` is often used with words like `什么` (any/what) or `谁` (any/who) in declarative sentences to mean “any” or “every.” Here, “什么问题都” means “every problem” or “any problem.”
  • Example 10:
    • 他忙得饭都没时间吃。
    • Pinyin: Tā máng de fàn dōu méi shíjiān chī.
    • English: He is so busy he doesn't even have time to eat.
    • Analysis: This is a common structure to show a high degree. The subject is implied (“he”), and `都` emphasizes the result of his business—that “even eating” is not possible.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • Mistake 1: Incorrect Placement. This is the #1 mistake for English speakers. We say “All of them are…”, so we want to put `都` at the beginning of the sentence. This is wrong.
    • Incorrect: `都他们是美国人。 (Dōu tāmen shì Měiguó rén.)`
    • Correct: `他们都是美国人。 (Tāmen dōu shì Měiguó rén.)`
    • Rule: `都` always comes after the subject and before the verb.
  • Mistake 2: Using with a Singular Subject. `都` requires a subject that is plural or can be interpreted as a collection of things.
    • Incorrect: `*我都是老师。 (Wǒ dōu shì lǎoshī.)` (This would imply there are multiple “me's”.)
    • Correct: `我们都是老师。 (Wǒmen dōu shì lǎoshī.)`
    • Exception: You can use `都` with a singular “I” or “you” when you mean “even” or are referring to a collection of things related to you. E.g., `我什么都知道了。 (Wǒ shénme dōu zhīdào le.)` - I know everything now. Here `都` refers to “everything,” not “I.”
  • Mistake 3: Confusing `都 (dōu)` with `也 (yě)`.
    • `都` (all) applies one action/state to an entire group.
    • `也` (also) adds another subject/item to the list.
    • Compare:
      • `他们都是医生。 (Tāmen dōu shì yīshēng.)` - They are all doctors. (Everyone in the group “they” is a doctor).
      • `他也是医生。 (Tā yě shì yīshēng.)` - He is also a doctor. (In addition to someone else already mentioned, he is a doctor too).

Related Terms and Concepts

  • 也 (yě) - Means “also” or “too.” `也` adds an item to a group, while `都` summarizes the entire group.
  • 全 (quán) - Means “whole” or “entire.” It is often used right before `都` for emphasis, as in `全都 (quán dōu)`, meaning “absolutely all.”
  • 所有 (suǒyǒu) - A more formal word for “all” that acts like an adjective placed before a noun. E.g., `所有的人都知道… (Suǒyǒu de rén dōu zhīdào…)` - All of the people know…
  • 每 (měi) - Means “every” or “each.” It is used before a noun and its measure word, and the sentence almost always requires a `都` later. `每个人都喜欢她。 (Měi ge rén dōu xǐhuān tā.)` - Everyone likes her.
  • 俩 (liǎ) - A colloquial word for “two people” (equivalent to 两个人). It inherently means “both,” so it's frequently followed by `都`. `我们俩都同意。 (Wǒmen liǎ dōu tóngyì.)` - The two of us both agree.
  • 连 (lián) - Means “even.” It's not used alone and is a key part of the `连…都… (lián…dōu…)` structure to express something unexpected.