甚至...
Reach for 甚至 when you want to push an example past what the listener expected — 'and even...' It introduces a surprising extreme that strengthens the point already on the table. You'll hear it in news writing, opinion pieces, and persuasive speech, often after a list or a softer claim, where the speaker wants to land one final escalating example. Position it before the verb or noun that carries the extreme, or use it to launch a whole clause.
Structure
..., [SUBJECT] 甚至 [VERB / EXTREME ITEM]
shènzhì...
How to Think About It
甚至 is the escalator step at the end of an argument. The earlier part of the sentence sets the baseline ('he reads a lot'); 甚至 then jumps one level past it ('— he even reads in the bathtub'). It works alongside 都, 也, or 还 in many sentences for extra punch (甚至连...都...). Unlike 连...都..., which fronts the extreme as the topic of the whole sentence, 甚至 stitches the extreme onto a sentence that's already in motion.
Examples
他每天都很忙，甚至周末也要工作。
Tā měitiān dōu hěn máng, shènzhì zhōumò yě yào gōngzuò.
He's busy every day; he even has to work on weekends.
这部电影非常受欢迎，甚至打破了票房纪录。
Zhè bù diànyǐng fēicháng shòu huānyíng, shènzhì dǎpò le piàofáng jìlù.
This movie is extremely popular — it even broke the box office record.
他很喜欢中国菜，甚至学会了自己做饺子。
Tā hěn xǐhuan Zhōngguó cài, shènzhì xuéhuì le zìjǐ zuò jiǎozi.
He loves Chinese food so much he's even learned to make dumplings himself.
Common Mistake
Learners drop 甚至 at the front of a sentence by itself like English 'Even...' Chinese 甚至 normally extends a previous clause and prefers to attach inside the second part, not stand alone as the sentence opener. When you do open with it, you need a context the listener already shares.
甚至我不喜欢吃肉。
我不太爱吃肉，甚至完全不吃。
Don't Confuse With
连...都...
Use 连...都... when the extreme example is the topic of the sentence. 甚至 adds an extreme as an extension after an earlier statement.
而且 / 并且
Use 而且 to add normal information ('and also'). 甚至 specifically pushes to a surprising or extreme example.
甚至于...
Reinforced version, slightly more formal, same meaning. Use 甚至于 in writing where you want to spotlight the escalation even more.
Practice
Fill in the blank: 她中文说得很好，___ 比我还好。
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甚至
Fill in the blank: 他工作很认真，甚至 ___ 上班不迟到。 (never)
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从来
Arrange: 甚至 / 雪 / 这里 / 很冷 / 下 / 会
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这里很冷，甚至会下雪。
Translate: The new phone is so popular it even sold out on the first day.
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这款新手机很受欢迎，甚至第一天就卖光了。
Write a sentence escalating a claim about a friend using 甚至.
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他特别爱学习，甚至假期也在看书。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 3 Fluentide episodes: