Using 再……也…… for an Unchanged Result

Meaning: a strong condition, an unchanged result

再……也…… forms a compact concessive sentence. The first part presents a condition as extreme, difficult, or otherwise significant; the second says what remains true despite it. In English, the idea is often expressed with “no matter how,” “even if,” or “however.” The pattern does not mean that the condition causes the result. Instead, it highlights that the result holds across the imagined range of that condition.

The outline identifies this point as a type of compact complex sentence at HSK 5. That establishes the scope and level of this lesson; it does not establish which version of an examination is currently administered at any particular test centre.

Here the rain is an obstacle, but leaving on time remains the plan. The sentence is a statement, not a question. Depending on context, it can sound determined or matter-of-fact.

How to form the pattern

Put 再 before the scalar condition and 也 before the response that stays in force. Adjectives such as 忙 or 复杂 are common; a negative mental-state phrase such as 不愿意 also works. The construction is about degree in this use, rather than 再 meaning “do it again.” Subjects can be shared or different when the context makes their roles clear.

• Adjective condition: 再 + adjective (sometimes followed by 的 + noun) + 也 + result.
• Verb-phrase condition: subject + 再 + 不愿意 + 也 + response, as in the request to hear the explanation out. Choose a phrase whose degree can be understood in context.
• The result clause carries the speaker’s conclusion, plan, or advice. It can express intention, ability, necessity, or another response that remains in force.

When it fits, and how it sounds

Use this pattern when you want to acknowledge a challenging circumstance and make clear that it will not change the outcome you state. It works for firm plans, commitments, and practical advice. In conversation, it may reassure someone (“I will still make time”) or emphasize resolve (“we must still clarify the conditions”). The words themselves do not make every sentence a promise or a command; the result clause and the situation determine that pragmatic force.

Although the condition often describes a high degree, the sentence need not quantify that degree. The point is the contrast between the condition and the result, rather than a measured level of rain, busyness, or difficulty. The same frame can be used with different conditions and results, provided the relationship makes sense in context.

Contrast an asserted degree with a concessive range

Compare this pattern with an ordinary degree description. “The problem is very complicated” describes how complicated the problem is; 再……也…… adds a result that holds despite that complication. When the intended meaning is only “very,” leave out the concessive frame. When you mean “even under this difficult condition, the result still applies,” include both 再 and 也.

A result can also be a question if the speaker is genuinely asking what follows under an extreme condition, but 再……也…… is often used in statements and advice. Do not treat every sentence with the pattern as a question or as a rhetorical question: read the punctuation, wording, and context.

Frequently asked questions