Chinese word

嘛

Pronunciation

Pinyinma

Meaning

  • particleyou know

Example

我早告诉你嘛。wǒ zǎo gào sù nǐ ma

I told you before, you know.

Illustration for 嘛 (you know)

More examples

别难过嘛，一切都会好起来的。bié nán guò ma yí qiè dū huì hǎo qǐ lái de

Don't be sad; everything will get better.

Core concept

Frames the preceding statement as something the listener should already recognize, often nudging agreement or acceptance.

Common phrases

  • 说过嘛shuō guò ma

    You know I've said it before

  • 别难过嘛bié nán guò ma

    please don't be sad

Similar words

吗ma: Turns a statement into a question with a yes-or-no answer.
呢ne: Encourages a reply and can lightly return a question to the listener.
吧ba: Makes a proposal or guess sound gentle and less forceful.

Definition in Chinese

用在句末，表示说话人将某事视为显而易见或理所当然，从而加强语气，常带轻微责备、催促或无奈，多见于口语。yòng zài jù mò biǎo shì shuō huà rén jiāng mǒu shì shì wéi xiǎn ér yì jiàn huò lí suǒ dāng rán cóng ér jiā qiáng yǔ qì cháng dài qīng wēi zé bèi cuī cù huò wú nài duō jiàn yú kóu yǔ

Word origin

The written form uses 口 (kǒu, "mouth") + 麻 (má, "hemp"), with 口 suggesting speech and 麻 mainly supplying the sound, while the particle's force comes from conversational use.

Usage tips

  • When speakers already share the background, this particle can make a short reply sound complete; without that background, the same reply may sound as if the speaker assumes too much.

Other meanings

  • butparticle
  • rightparticle

Word lists with this word