Learning Chinese: How to Say "What" in Chinese
Chinese Characters: 什么
Pinyin: shén me
Pronunciation: shen2 me
English Translation: What
Usage:
"什么 (shén me)" is the most common way to say "what" in Chinese. It can be used in a variety of contexts, such as asking questions, expressing surprise, or making requests.
Example:
Chinese: 你叫什么名字?
Pinyin: Nǐ jiào shén me míng zi?
English: What is your name?
Variations:
There are a few variations of "什么 (shén me)" that you may hear:
啥 (sha): A more informal way to say "what", similar to "huh?" in English.
什么东西 (shén me dōng xi): Literally means "what thing", and can be used to ask for more information or clarification.
Tips for Learning:
Practice saying "什么 (shén me)" out loud to improve your pronunciation.
Listen to native Chinese speakers saying "what" to get a sense of the natural rhythm and intonation.
Use "什么 (shén me)" in your daily conversations to practice using it in context.
Additional Notes:
"什么 (shén me)" is typically placed at the beginning of a question.
To ask a "yes or no" question using "什么 (shén me)", simply add the question particle "吗 (ma)" to the end of the sentence. For example, "你叫小明吗?(Nǐ jiào Xiǎomíng ma?)" means "Are you called Xiaoming?"
"什么 (shén me)" can also be used to express surprise or disbelief. For example, "什么?你考了第一名!(Shén me? Nǐ kǎo le dì yī míng!)" means "What? You got first place!"
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