Expressing “not even one” in Chinese

Grammar Point:
In English, you can express the idea of having absolutely no money, not even a single penny. This notion of “not even one” can also be conveyed in Chinese.

Structure

一 yì + MW + N + 也 yě or 都 dōu + negation

他tā一yí句jù中文zhōngwén也yě不會búhuì說shuō他tā一yí句jù中文zhōngwén也yě不会búhuì说shuō
He can’t speak a single word of Chinese.

我wǒ一yí個ge歐洲ōuzhōu國家guójiā也yě沒méi去qù過guò我wǒ一yí个ge欧洲ōuzhōu国家guójiā也yě没méi去qù过guò
I haven’t been to a single European country.

他tā一yí塊kuài錢qián也yě沒有méiyǒu他tā一yí块kuài钱qián也yě没有méiyǒu
He doesn’t have a single dollar.

我wǒ一yì杯bēi酒jiǔ都dōu不能bùnéng喝hē我wǒ一yì杯bēi酒jiǔ都dōu不能bùnéng喝hē
I can’t drink a drop of alcohol.

我wǒ今天jīntiān到dào公司gōngsī時shí， 公司gōngsī裡lǐ一yí個ge人rén都dōu沒有méiyǒu我wǒ今天jīntiān到dào公司gōngsī时shí， 公司gōngsī里lǐ一yí个ge人rén都dōu没有méiyǒu
When I arrived at the company today, there wasn’t a single person in the office.

你nǐ在zài說shuō什麼shénme， 我wǒ一yí句jù也yě聽tīng不懂bùdǒng你nǐ在zài说shuō什么shénme， 我wǒ一yí句jù也yě听tīng不懂bùdǒng
What are you saying? I don’t understand a word.

媽媽māma常cháng說shuō碗wǎn裡lǐ的de飯fàn必須bìxū吃chī得dé一yí粒lì都dōu不bú剩shèng妈妈māma常cháng说shuō碗wǎn里lǐ的de饭fàn必须bìxū吃chī得dé一yí粒lì都dōu不bú剩shèng
Mom often says that you must eat every grain of rice in your bowl.

FYI
To instill a sense of valuing every grain of rice, Taiwan has a charming proverb: “If you don’t finish every last grain of rice, you’ll marry someone with a pimply face in the future.” This saying playfully reminds children to savor every bite in their bowls. However, with the abundance of single people these days… Maybe intentionally leaving a few grains uneaten is the secret to finding a partner, even if they happen to have a pimply face.😁

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ I haven’t drunk a single drop of water today.

我wǒ今天jīntiān一yì杯bēi水shuǐ都dōu還沒háiméi喝hē我wǒ今天jīntiān一yì杯bēi水shuǐ都dōu还没háiméi喝hē

✔️ I won’t believe a single word you say.

你nǐ說shuō的de話huà我wǒ一yí個ge字zì也yě不會búhuì信xìn你nǐ说shuō的de话huà我wǒ一yí个ge字zì也yě不会búhuì信xìn

✔️ I’ve never been to Shanghai, not even once.

上海shànghǎi我wǒ一yí次cì也yě沒méi去qù過guò上海shànghǎi我wǒ一yí次cì也yě没méi去qù过guò