哪怕【nǎpà】

哪怕 introduces a hypothetical, and 也 or 都 in the result says it holds even then. The case after 哪怕 is usually pushed to an extreme – only a little, only once, however much – which makes it stronger than plain 如果.

With 再, it's "however".

Before a noun

哪怕是 + noun picks out the smallest case.

After the main clause

哪怕 can also come second, adding the extreme case as an afterthought. Then there's no 也.

哪怕 or 虽然

哪怕 is about what might happen. For something that did happen, use 虽然.

• × 哪怕昨天下雨了，我还是去了 → 虽然昨天下雨了，我还是去了

With the condition first, the result still needs its 也.

• × 哪怕下雨，比赛会继续 → 哪怕下雨，比赛也会继续