连…都
lián…dōu
Holding up the outermost case: 连…都
The picture Picking up the item at the very edge of the circle and holding it out: 'even this one is inside.' 连…都 pulls even the outermost case inside the fence; 除了 lifts one case out and stands it outside.
Where the picture shows up in 连…都
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a single word as the floor
他连一句话都没说。
tā lián yí jù huà dōu méi shuō
He didn't say so much as one word.
Lips staying shut, not even the smallest scrap of speech getting out.
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a child as the floor
这么简单的字，连小孩都会写。
zhè me jiǎn dān de zì, lián xiǎo hái dōu huì xiě
A character this easy — even a kid can write it.
A child's hand, barely gripping the pencil, writing that character out stroke by stroke.
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a meal as the floor
忙得连饭都没吃。
máng de lián fàn dōu méi chī
I was so busy I didn't even eat.
A lunchbox sitting beside the desk with its lid never once opened.
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his name as the floor
我连他的名字也不知道。
wǒ lián tā de míng zi yě bù zhī dào
I don't even know his name.
A contact list where only that person's row has the name field left blank.
也 can stand where 都 does; the meaning is the same, the tone slightly softer.
All of it in one picture
连…都 picks up the item at the very edge and holds it out. Lips that never let out one word are the floor of speaking; a child's hand writing the character is the floor of easy. An unopened lunchbox is the floor of a day, and a blank name field is the floor of knowing someone. Once the floor is inside, nothing above it needs arguing for.