甚至
Reach for this when you want to push your point further with an extreme or surprising example — 'even.' 甚至 adds a case that goes beyond what the listener might have expected, raising the stakes of the claim. 'Many people don't read books — even my professor doesn't.' 'He's so busy he doesn't even sleep.' It's the escalator: each clause climbs higher than the last. Neutral to slightly formal register, common in news, analysis, and emphatic speech.
Structure
(...) 甚至 + [EXTREME CASE / STRONGER CLAIM]
shènzhì...
How to Think About It
甚至 is a step-up marker, not a connector. It signals 'I'm raising the bar — what comes next is more extreme than what came before.' Place it right before the surprising item or stronger verb phrase, not at the start of a sentence on its own. Often pairs with 也 or 都 after the surprising element ('甚至他也不知道') to underline 'even THIS one' is included.
Examples
他太忙了，甚至连饭都没吃。
Tā tài máng le, shènzhì lián fàn dōu méi chī.
He was so busy he didn't even eat.
很多年轻人不看新闻，甚至不知道总统是谁。
Hěnduō niánqīng rén bù kàn xīnwén, shènzhì bù zhīdào zǒngtǒng shì shéi.
A lot of young people don't read the news — they don't even know who the president is.
这部电影太成功了，甚至改变了整个行业。
Zhè bù diànyǐng tài chénggōng le, shènzhì gǎibiàn le zhěnggè hángyè.
This film was so successful it even changed the whole industry.
Common Mistake
Learners use 甚至 to mean a neutral 'also,' but 甚至 needs to point at something extreme or more than expected. If the second item is just another normal example, use 也 or 还 instead.
我喜欢苹果，甚至喜欢香蕉。
他什么水果都不爱吃，甚至连苹果都不吃。
Don't Confuse With
连...都/也...
Tighter 'even X' frame with built-in echo of 都/也. 甚至 introduces the case; 连...都/也... wraps it. They often pair together: 甚至连...都....
也
Neutral 'also.' 甚至 carries an editorial weight — 'and beyond that...'. Use 甚至 only when the new item is surprisingly extreme.
而且
'And also' or 'moreover' — adds an additional point at the same level. 甚至 climbs higher than the previous point.
Practice
Fill in: 他太累了，____至站着都睡着了。
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甚
Fill in: 她不喝酒，甚至连啤酒____不喝。
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都
Arrange: 甚至 / 他 / 我 / 不认识 / 名字 / 的
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他甚至不认识我的名字。
Translate to Chinese: He's so famous that even kids know him.
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他太有名了，甚至连孩子都认识他。
Use 甚至 to push a point further with a surprising case.
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现在AI写的文章很好，甚至比一些记者写得还好。