Decoded Slug: 何况 (hékùang) - Let alone, much less
Mandarin Grammar Point
何况 (hékùang) - Let alone, much less
何况 (hékùang) - Let alone, much less
Short explanation:
Used to raise an even stronger point after stating a less strong point.
Formation:
Statement 1 +，何况 + Statement 2 (usually more extreme)
Examples:
我连普通的汉字都写不好，何况这样复杂的句子。
Wǒ lián pǔtōng de hànzì dōu xiě bù hǎo, hékuàng zhèyàng fùzá de jùzi.
I can't even write ordinary Chinese characters well, let alone such complex sentences.
我连烧水都不会，何况做饭。
Wǒ lián shāo shuǐ dōu bù huì, hékuàng zuò fàn.
I can't even boil water, let alone cook.
他都不会玩简单的游戏，何况这种专业级别的游戏。
Tā dōu bù huì wán jiǎndān de yóuxì, hékuàng zhè zhǒng zhuānyè jíbié de yóuxì.
He can't even play simple games, much less this kind of professional level game.
如果你连五分钟都无法专心，何况一整天。
Rúguǒ nǐ lián wǔ fēnzhōng dōu wúfǎ zhuānxīn, hékuàng yī zhěng tiān.
If you can't focus for even five minutes, much less a whole day.
Long explanation:
The Mandarin Chinese expression '何况 (hékùang)' is used to introduce a further point or argument that is even more persuasive than the one just made. It can be translated in English as 'let alone', 'much less' or 'not to mention'. By using 何况, you can express that if a certain condition can't be met or is already problematic, then the situation mentioned afterward, which is generally more extreme or harder to achieve, is definitely impossible or even more problematic.