都 (dōu) means "all / both", but it works in a way that surprises English speakers: it looks leftward. 都 quantifies whatever comes before it, so the plural thing you're totalling has to sit ahead of 都, which itself keeps the normal pre-verb adverb slot. English "all" can trail its noun ("they all", "all of them"), but Chinese 都 never sums up something to its right. Master this backward direction and 都 stops feeling slippery.
都 sums up what comes before it
The template is Plural-subject + 都 + Verb. 都 reaches back and totals the subject; then the sentence continues.
我们都去。
wǒmen dōu qù
We all go. (neutral) — 都 sums up 我们, which precedes it.
这些都很贵。
zhèxiē dōu hěn guì
These are all expensive. (neutral) — 都 totals 这些.
大家都同意了。
dàjiā dōu tóngyì le
Everyone agreed. (neutral) — 大家 'everyone' sits before 都.
他们两个都是老师。
tāmen liǎng ge dōu shì lǎoshī
Both of them are teachers. (neutral) — note 两 (not 二) for 'two' before the measure word.
The leftward-scope rule in action
Because 都 sums up whatever precedes it, you can front an object as a topic to bring it into 都's reach. This is a signature Chinese move: move the thing you're totalling to the front, and 都 catches it.
这里的菜我都喜欢。
zhèlǐ de cài wǒ dōu xǐhuan
I like all the dishes here. (informal) — 菜 is fronted so 都 can total it, even though it's the object.
这些书我都看过。
zhèxiē shū wǒ dōu kànguo
I've read all these books. (neutral) — 都 quantifies the fronted object 这些书.
In both, the literal order is object — subject — 都 — verb. English would say "I like all of them", but Chinese lifts the object out front so 都 can look back at it. If you leave the object in its normal post-verb spot, 都 has nothing to its left to sum up.
每 requires 都
The quantifier 每 (měi) "every" almost always demands a partner 都 later in the clause. 每 sets up the "each and every" idea; 都 collects it. Leaving 都 out sounds incomplete. (See the 每 "every" page for the full pairing.)
我每天都运动。
wǒ měitiān dōu yùndòng
I exercise every day. (neutral) — 每天 pairs with 都.
每个学生都要考试。
měi ge xuésheng dōu yào kǎoshì
Every student has to take the exam. (neutral) — 每…都 as a set.
Negation: 都不 (none) vs 不都 (not all)
This is where position carries the whole meaning. Because 不 (bù) negates whatever follows it, swapping the order of 不 and 都 changes "none" into "not all".
| Form | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 都不去 | dōu bú qù | none go (every one does NOT go) |
| 不都去 | bù dōu qù | not all go (some do, some don't) |
| 都没来 | dōu méi lái | none came |
我们都不喝酒。
wǒmen dōu bù hē jiǔ
None of us drink. (neutral) — 都不: total negation, every one of us abstains.
他们不都是学生。
tāmen bù dōu shì xuésheng
Not all of them are students. (neutral) — 不都: partial, some are, some aren't.
The rule of thumb: 都不 = "all... not" = none; 不都 = "not... all" = not everybody. The scope of 不 and 都 page drills this contrast further.
Common Mistakes
1. Putting the quantified noun after 都. The plural set must come before 都.
❌ 都我们去。
Incorrect — 都 sums up what precedes it, so 我们 must come first.
✅ 我们都去。
wǒmen dōu qù
We all go. — 我们 before 都.
2. Dropping 都 after 每. 每 needs its partner 都.
❌ 每个人有手机。
Incomplete — 每 pairs with 都; without it the sentence sounds unfinished.
✅ 每个人都有手机。
měi ge rén dōu yǒu shǒujī
Everyone has a phone. — 每…都 as a set.
3. Confusing 不都 with 都不. Using "not all" when you mean "none".
❌ 我们不都去。
Wrong if you mean 'none of us go' — 不都 means 'not all of us go'; for 'none' you need 都不.
✅ 我们都不去。
wǒmen dōu bú qù
None of us go. — 都不 for total negation.
4. Using 二 instead of 两 before a measure word. "Two" before a classifier is 两.
❌ 他们二个都是老师。
Incorrect — before a measure word 'two' is 两, not 二.
✅ 他们两个都是老师。
tāmen liǎng ge dōu shì lǎoshī
Both of them are teachers. — 两个, not 二个.
Key Takeaways
- 都 means "all / both" but sums up what comes before it — the plural set must precede 都.
- Its slot is Plural-subject (or fronted topic) + 都 + Verb; you can front an object so 都 can total it.
- 每 "every" almost always requires a partner 都: 每天都, 每个人都.
- Negation position flips the meaning: 都不 = none, 不都 = not all.
- Use 两, not 二, for "two" before a measure word: 他们两个都是老师.
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- 都 as 'Even' (连…都) and 都…了HSK 3 — Beyond 'all', 都 (dōu) partners with 连 (lián) to mean 'even' — 连他都不知道 'even he doesn't know' — where you front the surprising item and 都 catches it; the frame 都…了 marks 'already!'
- 也 (Also) and Its PlacementHSK 1 — 也 (yě) means 'also / too / either' and clamps to the predicate — after the subject, before the verb or adjective (我也去, 她也很高) — and in negatives it comes before 不/没 (我也不去).
- 都不 vs 不都: None vs Not AllHSK 3 — Word order decides the meaning when 不 meets 都 (dōu, 'all'): 都不 = 'none' (total negation, 我们都不去) but 不都 = 'not all' (partial, 我们不都去). Whatever follows 不 is what gets negated — read strictly left to right.
- 每 (Every) with 都HSK 2 — 每 (měi, 'every/each') takes a measure word like a number — 每个人 (every person), 每本书 (each book) — while bare time nouns like 天 and 年 need none (每天, 每年); its signature is the 每…都 frame, where 都 (dōu, 'all') echoes 每 before the verb: 每个学生都有一本书 ('every student has a book').