<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.maayot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/niketh-vellanki-vJqSAasmCEY-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat In Chinese <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
“What” in Chinese is an advantageous vocabulary word. It enables you to ask and understand questions. However, there are different uses for “what” in a sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Chinese term for \u201cwhat\u201d is \u4ec0\u4e48 (sh\u00e9n me). It is one of the Chinese Interrogative Pronouns used when constructing a Chinese question. Another word for \u201cwhat” in Chinese is \u600e\u4e48 (z\u011bn me). But in Chinese, we seldom use “what” as \u600e\u4e48, since it is mainly referred to as “how.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When there are mentions of the following words in a sentence :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Demonstrative Pronouns (this, that, these, those) <\/li>
- Subject Pronouns (I, He, She, We, They) <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Place them at the beginning of a phrase before “what” in Chinese \u2013 \u4ec0\u4e48\uff08sh\u00e9n me).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u8fd9\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f (zh\u00e8 sh\u00ec sh\u00e9n me)
[Direct Translate] This is what?<\/p>\n\n\n\nMandarin question structure is different from English. Interrogative Pronouns usually will be the first word of an English sentence. Whereas in the Chinese language, we are less likely to use them as the first word as in the example above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“What”<\/em> in Chinese as Interrogative Pronoun \u2013 \u4ec0\u4e48 ( sh\u00e9n me)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Here are some generally used simple questions with “What” in Chinese. It is without Demonstrative Pronouns or Personal Pronouns. Mostly, “What” in Chinese will become a Subject Interrogative Pronoun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example : <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \u4ec0\u4e48\u4e8b\uff1f ( sh\u00e9n me sh\u00ec? )
What is the matter?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n- \u53d1\u751f\u4e86\u4ec0\u4e48\u4e8b\u60c5\uff1f ( f\u0101 sh\u0113ng le sh\u00e9n me sh\u00ec qing ? )
What happened? \/ What is the matter?
<\/li> - \u73b0\u5728\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\u72b6\u51b5\/\u60c5\u51b5\uff1f ( xi\u00e0n z\u00e0i sh\u00ec sh\u00e9n me zhu\u00e0ng ku\u00e0ng\/q\u00edng ku\u00e0ng? )
What is the situation now?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n- \u4ec0\u4e48\u95ee\u9898\uff1f \u6709\u4ec0\u4e48\u95ee\u9898\uff1f ( sh\u00e9n me w\u00e8n t\u00ed? y\u01d2u, sh\u00e9 me w\u00e8n t\u00ed? \uff09
What is the problem?
<\/li> - \u51fa\u4e86\u4ec0\u4e48\u95ee\u9898\uff1f ( ch\u016b le sh\u00e9n me w\u00e8n t\u00ed ? )
What is the problem that happened?
<\/li> - \u4ec0\u4e48\u662f\u5bf9\uff1f \u4ec0\u4e48\u662f\u9519\uff1f( sh\u00e9n me sh\u00ec du\u00ec ? sh\u00e9n me sh\u00ec cu\u00f2? )
What is correct? What is wrong?
<\/li> - \u4ec0\u4e48\u662f\u771f\uff1f \u4ec0\u4e48\u662f\u5047\uff1f ( sh\u00e9n me sh\u00ec zh\u0113n? sh\u00e9n me sh\u00ec ji\u01ce? )
What is real? What is fake?
<\/li> - \u4ec0\u4e48\u610f\u601d\uff1f ( sh\u00e9n me y\u00ec si? \uff09
What is the meaning?
<\/li> - \u8fd9\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\u610f\u601d\uff1f \u6211\u4e0d\u660e\u767d\u3002( zh\u00e8 sh\u00ec sh\u00e9n me y\u00ec si ? w\u01d2 b\u00f9 m\u00edng b\u00e1i. )
What do you mean by this? I do not understand.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nWith Demonstrative Pronoun + “What”<\/em> in Chinese \u4ec0\u4e48 ( sh\u00e9n me )<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you have a question with :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- English Demonstrative Pronouns (this, that, these, those) <\/li>
- No Personal Pronoun<\/li>
- Place the Chinese Demonstrative Pronouns (\u8fd9, \u90a3, \u8fd9\u4e9b, \u90a3\u4e9b | zh\u00e8, n\u00e0, zh\u00e8 xi\u0113, n\u00e0 xi\u0113) at the start of the sentence.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Example :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \u8fd9\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f\u90a3\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f\uff08 zh\u00e8 sh\u00ec sh\u00e9n me? n\u00e0 sh\u00ec sh\u00e9n me? )
What is this? What is that?
<\/li> - \u8fd9\u4e9b\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f \u90a3\u4e9b\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f ( zh\u00e8 xi\u0113 sh\u00ec sh\u00e9n me? n\u00e0 xi\u0113 sh\u00ec sh\u00e9n me? )
What are these? What are those?
<\/li> - \u8fd9\u4e2a\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f\u90a3\u4e2a\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f ( zh\u00e8 ge sh\u00ec sh\u00e9n me? n\u00e0 g\u00e8 sh\u00ec sh\u00e9n me? )
What is this one? What is that one?
<\/li> - \u8fd9\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\u5730\u65b9\uff1f ( zh\u00e8 sh\u00ec sh\u00e9n me d\u00ec f\u0101ng? )
What place is this?
<\/li> - \u8fd9\u91cc\u6709\u4ec0\u4e48\u597d\u73a9\u7684\uff1f ( zh\u00e8 li y\u01d2u sh\u00e9 me h\u01ceo w\u00e1n de? )
What is interesting here? What fun things (to do) here?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.maayot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/jerry-wang-0qmXPnZKeLU-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWith Subject Pronoun + “What”<\/em> in Chinese \u4ec0\u4e48 ( sh\u00e9n me)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When a Chinese sentence contains :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Subject Pronoun (I, He, She, We)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Then move the Subject Pronoun to the beginning. “What”<\/em> in Chinese \u2013 \u4ec0\u4e48 ( sh\u00e9n me ) will then become an Object Interrogative Pronoun<\/em>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n*The last two examples below show the usage of \u4e86 ( le ) after a Chinese Verb. It means past tense in English = The event is over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \u4f60\u60f3\u5403\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f \u4f60\u559c\u6b22\u5403\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f ( n\u01d0 xi\u01ceng ch\u012b sh\u00e9n me? n\u01d0 x\u01d0 hu\u0101n ch\u012b sh\u00e9n me? )
What do you want to eat? What do you like to eat?
<\/li> - \u4f60\u60f3\u559d\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f \u4f60\u559c\u6b22\u559d\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f ( n\u01d0 xi\u01ceng h\u0113 sh\u00e9n me? n\u01d0 x\u01d0 hu\u0101n h\u0113 sh\u00e9n me? )
What do you want to drink? What do you like to drink?
<\/li> - \u4f60\u60f3\u4e70\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f \u4f60\u60f3\u5356\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f ( n\u01d0 xi\u01ceng m\u01cei sh\u00e9n me? n\u01d0 xi\u01ceng m\u00e0i sh\u00e9n me? )
What do you want to buy? What do you want to sell?
<\/li> - \u6211\u8fd9\u4e48\u8bf4\uff0c\u6709\u4ec0\u4e48\u4e0d\u5bf9\uff1f ( w\u01d2 zh\u00e8 me shu\u014d, y\u01d2u sh\u00e9 me b\u00f9 du\u00ec? )
What did I say wrong?
<\/li> - \u4ed6\u7528\u4ec0\u4e48\u501f\u53e3\u4e0d\u6765\u5de5\u4f5c\uff1f ( t\u0101 y\u00f2ng sh\u00e9n me ji\u00e8 k\u01d2u b\u00f9 l\u00e1i g\u014dng zu\u00f2? )
What excuse did he use for not coming to work?
<\/li> - \u4f60\u8bf4\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f \u8001\u677f\u8bf4\u4e86\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f ( n\u01d0 shu\u014d sh\u00e9n me? l\u01ceo b\u01cen shu\u014d le sh\u00e9n me? )
What are you saying (Present tense)? What did the boss say (Past tense)?
<\/li> - \u4ec0\u4e48! \u4f60\u505a\u4e86\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f \u4f60\u5230\u5e95\u505a\u4e86\u4e9b\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f ( sh\u00e9n me? n\u01d0 zu\u00f2 le sh\u00e9n me? n\u01d0 d\u00e0o d\u01d0 zu\u00f2 le xi\u0113 sh\u00e9n me? ) (Interjection)
What! What did you do? What are the things that you have done?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nWith Object Pronoun + “What”<\/em> in Chinese \u4ec0\u4e48 Sh\u00e9nme<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
An Object Pronoun (him, her, us) is usually not at the start of the sentence. The Subject Interrogative Pronoun<\/em> (\u4ec0\u4e48 + Noun) will be placed first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \u4ec0\u4e48\u4e1c\u897f\u80fd\u4f7f\u5979\u5feb\u4e50\uff1f ( sh\u00e9n me d\u014dng x\u012b n\u00e9ng sh\u01d0 t\u0101 ku\u00e0i l\u00e8? )
What are the things that make her happy?
<\/li> - \u4ec0\u4e48\u60c5\u51b5\u4e4b\u4e0b\u80fd\u8ba9\u4ed6\u54ed\uff1f ( sh\u00e9n me q\u00edng ku\u00e0ng zh\u012b xi\u00e0 n\u00e9ng r\u00e0ng t\u0101 k\u016b? )
What circumstances can make him cry?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nWith Both Subject & Object Pronouns + “What”<\/em> in Chinese \u4ec0\u4e48 ( sh\u00e9n me)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We will have the Subject Pronouns and the Object Pronouns in the language of English. But we share the same <\/em>Chinese words in Chinese \u2013 \u6211\uff0c\u4f60\uff0c\u4ed6\uff0c\u5979\uff0c\u6211\u4eec\uff0c\u4f60\u4eec. Hence, it might be a little confusing when both groups of pronouns appear together. For more details, please have a search on Personal Pronouns (I vs, Me) to clarify the difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \u6211\u4e0d\u77e5\u9053\u4f60\u521a\u624d\u8bf4\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f\u6211\u542c\u4e0d\u6e05\u695a\u3002\u8bf7\u4f60\u5728\u91cd\u590d\u4e00\u904d\u3002
( w\u01d2 b\u00f9 zh\u012b d\u00e0o n\u01d0 g\u0101ng c\u00e1i shu\u014d sh\u00e9n me? W\u01d2 t\u012bng b\u00f9 q\u012bng ch\u01d4. Q\u01d0ng n\u01d0 z\u00e0i ch\u00f3ng f\u00f9 y\u012b bi\u00e0n. )
What are you talking about just now? I can’t hear clearly. Please repeat one more time.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.maayot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/element5-digital-OyCl7Y4y0Bk-unsplash-1-1024x723.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Flexible Chinese Word Order Construction \u2013 “What”<\/em> in Chinese
<\/h2>\n\n\n\nThere are many new Chinese learners. They will always try to place the Subject Pronoun first when making sentences. But, the Chinese language is actually flexible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A stronger Chinese foundation and a deeper understanding could help you very much. You will find out that there will be no difficulty with the Chinese word order. Here are two sets of examples below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example 1 :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \u6211\u8981\u505a\u4ec0\u4e48\uff0c\u624d\u80fd\u8ba9\u5979\u5f00\u5fc3\u8d77\u6765\uff1f \u6253\u901a\u7535\u8bdd\u7ed9\u5979\u5417\uff1f
( w\u01d2 y\u00e0o zu\u00f2 sh\u00e9n me, c\u00e1i n\u00e9ng r\u00e0ng t\u0101 k\u0101i x\u012bn q\u01d0 l\u00e1i? D\u01ce t\u014dng di\u00e0n hu\u00e0 g\u011bi t\u0101 ma? )
What to do to make her happy? Give a call to her?
<\/li> - \u60f3\u8981\u8ba9\u5979\u5f00\u5fc3\uff0c\u6211\u80fd\u505a\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f \u53bb\u5979\u5bb6\u9001\u82b1\u7ed9\u5979\u5417\uff1f
( xi\u01ceng y\u00e0o r\u00e0ng t\u0101 k\u0101i x\u012bn, w\u01d2 n\u00e9ng zu\u00f2 sh\u00e9n me? Q\u00f9 t\u0101 ji\u0101 s\u00f2ng hu\u0101 g\u011bi t\u0101 ma? )
To make her happy, what can I do? Go to her house to send flowers to her?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nExample 2 :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \u4ed6\u8981\u7528\u4ec0\u4e48\u65b9\u6cd5\uff0c\u624d\u80fd\u5de5\u4f5c\uff1f \u7533\u8bf7\u5de5\u4f5c\u51c6\u8bc1\u5417\uff1f
( t\u0101 y\u00e0o y\u00f2ng sh\u00e9n me f\u0101ng f\u01ce, c\u00e1i n\u00e9ng g\u014dng zu\u00f2? Sh\u0113n q\u01d0ng g\u014dng zu\u00f2 zh\u01d4n zh\u00e8ng ma? )
What method should he use to work? Apply for a work permit?
<\/li> - \u7528\u4ec0\u4e48\u65b9\u6cd5\uff0c\u624d\u80fd\u8ba9\u4ed6\u5de5\u4f5c\uff1f \u529e\u7b7e\u8bc1\u5417\uff1f
( y\u00f2ng sh\u00e9n me f\u0101ng f\u01ce, c\u00e1i n\u00e9ng r\u00e0ng t\u0101 g\u014dng zu\u00f2? b\u00e0n qi\u0101n zh\u00e8ng ma? )
What method to use so he could work? Apply for a visa?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n“What” Type \/ Kind \/ Sort \u2013 \u4ec0\u4e48\u6837 ( sh\u00e9n me y\u00e0ng) \/ \u4ec0\u4e48\u7c7b\u578b ( sh\u00e9n me l\u00e8i x\u00edng )<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat type\/kind\/sort of + Noun\u201d is a question you ask someone about their preferences in a category. We use either \u4ec0\u4e48\u6837 \uff08 sh\u00e9n me y\u00e0ng ) or \u4ec0\u4e48\u7c7b\u578b ( sh\u00e9n me l\u00e8i x\u00edng).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \u4f60\u559c\u6b22\u770b\u4ec0\u4e48\u6837\u7684\u7535\u5f71? ( n\u01d0 x\u01d0 hu\u0101n k\u00e0n sh\u00e9n me y\u00e0ng de di\u00e0n y\u01d0ng?)
What kind of movie do you like to watch?
<\/li> - \u4f60\u559c\u6b22\u4ec0\u4e48\u6837\u7684\u5bb6\u5177\uff1f ( n\u01d0 x\u01d0 hu\u0101n sh\u00e9n me y\u00e0ng de ji\u0101 j\u00f9? )
What sort of furniture do you like?
<\/li> - \u4f60\u559c\u6b22\u4ec0\u4e48\u7c7b\u578b\u7684\u7537\u751f\uff1f ( n\u01d0 x\u01d0 hu\u0101n sh\u00e9n me l\u00e8i x\u00edng de n\u00e1n sh\u0113ng? )
What type of men do you like?
<\/li> - \u4f60\u559c\u6b22\u4ec0\u4e48\u6837\u7684\u5973\u751f\u554a? ( n\u01d0 x\u01d0 hu\u0101n sh\u00e9n me y\u00e0ng de n\u01da sh\u0113ng \u00e0? )
What type of women do you like?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n“What”<\/em> in Chinese \u2013 \u600e\u4e48 ( z\u011bn me )<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Other than \u4ec0\u4e48 ( sh\u00e9n me), we also have \u600e\u4e48 ( z\u011bn me ) to express What<\/em> in Chinese. \u600e\u4e48 is not an accurate representation of “What”<\/em> in Chinese. Instead, it has a more definite association with “How”<\/em> in Chinese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We have to depend on whether to use “How” or “What” when translating \u600e\u4e48 ( z\u011bn me ) from Chinese to English. You could depend on it as a term for expressing an English question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example :<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \u600e\u4e48\u4e86\uff1f ( z\u011bn me le? )
What happened?
<\/li> - \u600e\u4e48\u529e\uff1f ( z\u011bn me b\u00e0n? )
What to do? \/ How?
<\/li> - \u73b0\u5728\uff0c\u6211\u4eec\u8981\u600e\u4e48\u505a\uff1f \uff08 xi\u00e0n z\u00e0i, w\u01d2 men y\u00e0o z\u011bn me zu\u00f2? )
Now, how \/ Now, what are we going to do?
<\/li> - \u8fd9\u662f\u600e\u4e48\u56de\u4e8b\uff1f ( zh\u00e8 sh\u00ec z\u011bn me hu\u00ed sh\u00ec? )
What is this all about?
<\/li> - \u90a3\u53c8\u600e\u4e48\u6837\uff1f ( n\u00e0 y\u00f2u z\u011bn me y\u00e0ng? )
So what?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nFinal Thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- \u600e\u4e48\u4e86\uff1f ( z\u011bn me le? )
- \u4f60\u559c\u6b22\u770b\u4ec0\u4e48\u6837\u7684\u7535\u5f71? ( n\u01d0 x\u01d0 hu\u0101n k\u00e0n sh\u00e9n me y\u00e0ng de di\u00e0n y\u01d0ng?)
- \u4ed6\u8981\u7528\u4ec0\u4e48\u65b9\u6cd5\uff0c\u624d\u80fd\u5de5\u4f5c\uff1f \u7533\u8bf7\u5de5\u4f5c\u51c6\u8bc1\u5417\uff1f
- \u6211\u8981\u505a\u4ec0\u4e48\uff0c\u624d\u80fd\u8ba9\u5979\u5f00\u5fc3\u8d77\u6765\uff1f \u6253\u901a\u7535\u8bdd\u7ed9\u5979\u5417\uff1f
- \u6211\u4e0d\u77e5\u9053\u4f60\u521a\u624d\u8bf4\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f\u6211\u542c\u4e0d\u6e05\u695a\u3002\u8bf7\u4f60\u5728\u91cd\u590d\u4e00\u904d\u3002
- \u4ec0\u4e48\u4e1c\u897f\u80fd\u4f7f\u5979\u5feb\u4e50\uff1f ( sh\u00e9n me d\u014dng x\u012b n\u00e9ng sh\u01d0 t\u0101 ku\u00e0i l\u00e8? )
- \u4f60\u60f3\u5403\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f \u4f60\u559c\u6b22\u5403\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f ( n\u01d0 xi\u01ceng ch\u012b sh\u00e9n me? n\u01d0 x\u01d0 hu\u0101n ch\u012b sh\u00e9n me? )
- Subject Pronoun (I, He, She, We)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- \u8fd9\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f\u90a3\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f\uff08 zh\u00e8 sh\u00ec sh\u00e9n me? n\u00e0 sh\u00ec sh\u00e9n me? )
- \u4ec0\u4e48\u95ee\u9898\uff1f \u6709\u4ec0\u4e48\u95ee\u9898\uff1f ( sh\u00e9n me w\u00e8n t\u00ed? y\u01d2u, sh\u00e9 me w\u00e8n t\u00ed? \uff09
- \u53d1\u751f\u4e86\u4ec0\u4e48\u4e8b\u60c5\uff1f ( f\u0101 sh\u0113ng le sh\u00e9n me sh\u00ec qing ? )
- \u4ec0\u4e48\u4e8b\uff1f ( sh\u00e9n me sh\u00ec? )