English–Chinese

“what” in Chinese

Chinese

Pronunciation

Pinyinshén me

Example

你想吃什么？nǐ xiǎng chī shén me

What do you want to eat?

Illustration for 什么 (what)

How to say “what” in Chinese

“What” in Chinese is 什么 (shén me).

An open slot in a question for an unknown thing, choice, or piece of information.

Full entry for 什么: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with 什么

你叫什么名字？nǐ jiào shén me míng zì

What is your name?

Tips for using 什么

  • 什么 (shénme, "what") can also refer to an unspecified thing in a statement, so its use is not limited to direct questions.

“what” in other languages