Chinese word

什么

Pronunciation

Pinyinshén me

Meaning

  • pronounwhat

Example

你想吃什么？nǐ xiǎng chī shén me

What do you want to eat?

Illustration for 什么 (what)

More examples

你叫什么名字？nǐ jiào shén me míng zì

What is your name?

Core concept

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

Common phrases

  • 吃什么chī shén me

    what to eat

  • 叫什么名字jiào shén me míng zì

    what one's name is

Similar words

哪nǎ: Asks which person or thing to choose from a range of options.
哪个nǎ ge: Asks for one particular person or thing from several options.
谁shuí: Asks which person is involved or being referred to.
几jǐ: Asks how many there are, usually for a small number.

Definition in Chinese

用来询问不确定的内容或提出选择问题，通常出现在疑问句中，也可与量词或代词连用以表示不特定对象。yòng lái xún wèn bú què dìng de nèi róng huò tí chū xuǎn zé wèn tí tōng cháng chū xiàn zài yí wèn jù zhōng yě kě yǔ liàng cí huò dài cí lián yòng yǐ biǎo shì bú tè dìng duì xiàng

Word origin

The modern form 什么 (shénme, "what") comes from the older written form 什麼 (shénme, "what") through character simplification, while its question-word function stays the same.

Usage tips

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

Other meanings

  • somethingpronoun

Word lists with this word