“Even If” in Chinese 4 – 就算 jiùsuàn

Grammar Point:
To express “even if” in Chinese, we need to use 就算 jiùsuàn or 就是 jiùshì and usually followed by the second clause 也 yě. In this pattern, the first clause is a supposition, which is then struck down as impossible by the statement’s second clause.

Structure

就算 + ···，也 + ···

It is an informal way of saying “even if,” and just like 即使 jíshǐ and 哪怕 nǎpà is used to introduce a hypothetical statement. However, this one indicates the speaker doesn’t believe that the hypothetical statement is reasonable or has much chance of being realized.

就算jiùsuàn全quán世界shìjiè的de人rén都dōu死sǐ了le， 我wǒ也yě不可能bùkěnéng和hé你nǐ在一起zàiyìqǐ就算jiùsuàn全quán世界shìjiè的de人rén都dōu死sǐ了le， 我wǒ也yě不可能bùkěnéng和hé你nǐ在一起zàiyìqǐ
Even if everyone in the world dies, I won’t be with you.

就算jiùsuàn人人rénrén都dōu說shuō你nǐ有罪yǒuzuì， 我wǒ也yě相信xiāngxìn你nǐ是shì無辜wúgū的de就算jiùsuàn人人rénrén都dōu说shuō你nǐ有罪yǒuzuì， 我wǒ也yě相信xiāngxìn你nǐ是shì无辜wúgū的de
Even if everyone says you are guilty, I believe you are innocent.

就算jiùsuàn大家dàjiā都dōu說shuō我wǒ太tài胖pàng了le， 我wǒ也yě還是háishì覺得juéde自己zìjǐ美měi極了jíle就算jiùsuàn大家dàjiā都dōu说shuō我wǒ太tài胖pàng了le， 我wǒ也yě还是háishì觉得juéde自己zìjǐ美měi极了jíle
Even if everyone says I’m too fat, I still think I’m so beautiful.

就算jiùsuàn天tiān塌tā下來xiàlái， 也yě有yǒu我wǒ幫bāng你nǐ扛káng著zhe就算jiùsuàn天tiān塌tā下来xiàlái， 也yě有yǒu我wǒ帮bāng你nǐ扛káng着zhe
Even if the sky falls, I will help you carry it.

FYI
The Chinese expression “就算天塌下來，也有我幫你扛著就算天塌下来，也有我帮你扛着 jiùsuàn tiān tāxiàlái yě yǒu wǒ bāng nǐ kángzhe” It’s like saying, “I’ve got your back no matter what. Even if the sky falls down, I’ll be there to hold it up for you.” It is used to express one’s determination to support and stand by someone no matter what challenges or difficulties they may face. It conveys a sense of loyalty, trust, and commitment to a person or cause. However, the younger generation tends to put a humorous twist on this expression when engaging in risky activities. They may say something like, “If the sky falls down, you hold it up! I’ll be long gone,” instead of the traditional expression.

就是 + ···，也 + ···

This is used to introduce a hypothetical statement in a general sense, just like “even if” or “no matter” in English, similar to the usage of 即使 jíshǐ and 哪怕 nǎpà.

就是jiùshì你nǐ給gěi我wǒ錢qián， 我wǒ也yě不bú願意yuànyì幫bāng你nǐ做zuò壞事huàishì就是jiùshì你nǐ给gěi我wǒ钱qián， 我wǒ也yě不bú愿意yuànyì帮bāng你nǐ做zuò坏事huàishì
Even if you give me money, I am not willing to help you do bad things.

就是jiùshì不bú睡覺shuìjiào， 我wǒ也yě要yào把bǎ工作gōngzuò做zuò完wán就是jiùshì不bú睡觉shuìjiào， 我wǒ也yě要yào把bǎ工作gōngzuò做zuò完wán
I have to finish my work even if I don’t sleep.

我wǒ不會búhuì德文déwén， 你nǐ就是jiùshì重複zhòngfù說shuō十shí遍biàn， 我wǒ也yě聽不懂tīngbùdǒng我wǒ不会búhuì德文déwén， 你nǐ就是jiùshì重复zhòngfù说shuō十shí遍biàn， 我wǒ也yě听不懂tīngbùdǒng
I don’t speak German. Even if you repeat it ten times, I can’t understand it.

就是jiùshì我wǒ離婚líhūn了le， 也yě不關bùguān你的nǐde事shì， 你nǐ管guǎn好hǎo你nǐ自己zìjǐ就jiù好hǎo就是jiùshì我wǒ离婚líhūn了le， 也yě不关bùguān你的nǐde事shì， 你nǐ管guǎn好hǎo你nǐ自己zìjǐ就jiù好hǎo
Even if I get divorced, it’s none of your business. Just mind your own business.

Advanced

就算 + ···，又怎麽樣么样

This is a way to express “Even if…, so what?” in Chinese.

就算jiùsuàn他tā說shuō不行bùxíng， 又yòu怎麼樣zěnmeyàng？ 就算jiùsuàn他tā说shuō不行bùxíng， 又yòu怎么样zěnmeyàng？
Even if he says no, so what?

就算jiùsuàn你nǐ不bú愿意yuànyì又yòu怎么样zěnmeyáng？ 你nǐ還是háishì得děi做zuò就算jiùsuàn你nǐ不bú愿意yuànyì又yòu怎么样zěnmeyáng？ 你nǐ还是háishì得děi做zuò
Even if you don’t want to, so what? You still have to do it.

就算jiùsuàn全quán世界shìjiè的de人rén都dōu反對fǎnduì又yòu怎麼樣zěnmeyàng？ 他們tāmen都dōu不是búshì你nǐ， 不能bùnéng替tì你nǐ做zuò決定juédìng就算jiùsuàn全quán世界shìjiè的de人rén都dōu反对fǎnduì又yòu怎么样zěnmeyáng？ 他们tāmen都dōu不是búshì你nǐ， 不能bùnéng替tì你nǐ做zuò决定juédìng
Even if the whole world is against you, so what? They are not you, they can not make decisions for you.

就算 + 再 + Adj，也 + ···

The word “再 zài” means “again” or “once more” and is used to emphasize the degree of the adjective that follows it. And the adjective that follows “再 zài” describes the difficulty or challenge that the speaker is facing, and the “也 yě” after it means “still” or “also,” indicating that the speaker is willing to do something despite the difficulty or challenge.

就算jiùsuàn天氣tiānqì再zài冷lěng我wǒ也yě要yào去qù爬山páshān就算jiùsuàn天气tiānqì再zài冷lěng我wǒ也yě要yào去qù爬山páshān
Even if the weather is cold, I still want to go hiking.

我wǒ就算jiùsuàn再zài累lèi， 也yě絕對juéduì不會búhuì讓ràng你nǐ餓肚子èdùzi我wǒ就算jiùsuàn再zài累lèi， 也yě绝对juéduì不会búhuì让ràng你nǐ饿肚子èdùzi
Even if I am tired, I will definitely not let you starve.
(In Chinese, we often use the idea of ‘not going hungry’ as a metaphor for having all one’s needs provided.)

你nǐ別bié難過nánguò， 就算jiùsuàn再zài忙máng， 我wǒ也yě一定yídìng會huì找zhǎo出chū時間shíjiān跟gēn你nǐ見面jiànmiàn你nǐ别bié难过nánguò， 就算jiùsuàn再zài忙máng， 我wǒ也yě一定yídìng会huì找zhǎo出chū时间shíjiān跟gēn你nǐ见面jiànmiàn
Don’t be sad. Even if I am busy, I will definitely find time to meet you.

• Even if – 哪怕 nǎpà (HSK 4)
• Even if – 不 bù…也 yě… (HSK4)
• Even If – 即使 jíshǐ or 哪怕 nǎpà···也 yě··· (HSK 5)