Level 4 · Upper Intermediate
Let alone: 别说…，就是…也
别说 A，就是 B + 也 … / …，更不用说 C 了 · Traditional: 別說 A，就是 B + 也 … / …，更不用說 C 了
别说 (biéshuō)…，就是…也 dismisses even the easier case: 别说一百块，就是十块我也不给 "never mind a hundred kuai — I wouldn't even give ten". 别说 takes the case that goes without saying; 就是 introduces the more surprising case, and 也 before the verb says the statement holds even there: refusing 一百块 is obvious, refusing even 十块 is the news.
Building the other way, ……，更不用说…了 ("not to mention") states the harder achievement first: 他会说法语，更不用说英语了 "he speaks French, let alone English". The easier item goes after 更不用说, with a final 了.
Examples
别说一百块，就是十块我也不给。
別說一百塊，就是十塊我也不給。
bié shuō yī bǎi kuài jiù shì shí kuài wǒ yě bù gěi
Never mind a hundred kuai — I wouldn't even give ten.
这个字别说学生，就是老师也不认识。
這個字別說學生，就是老師也不認識。
zhè ge zì bié shuō xué sheng jiù shì lǎo shī yě bù rèn shi
Never mind students — even the teacher doesn't know this character.
他会说法语，更不用说英语了。
他會說法語，更不用說英語了。
tā huì shuō Fǎ yǔ gèng bù yòng shuō Yīng yǔ le
He speaks French, not to mention English.
我连周末都没有时间，更不用说平时了。
我連週末都沒有時間，更不用說平時了。
wǒ lián zhōu mò dōu méi yǒu shí jiān gèng bù yòng shuō píng shí le
I don't even have time on weekends, let alone weekdays.
Common mistakes
✗ 别说一百块，就是十块我不给。
✓ 别说一百块，就是十块我也不给。
The 就是 clause still needs 也 before the verb.
Related grammar points
Practice this pattern in graded stories like A Week Before Payday (Part 1) inside the Literate Chinese app.
