HSK · Level 54
105 words
Chinese word
干吗
Pronunciation
Pinyingàn má
Meaning
- adverbwhy
Example
你干吗这样？nǐ gàn má zhè yàng
Why are you doing this?
More examples
你干吗不去？nǐ gàn má bú qù
Why don't you go?
Core concept
An action-focused question that seeks the reason behind an act or identifies the act itself.
Common phrases
你干吗呢nǐ gàn má ne
Why are you doing that
你干吗不去nǐ gàn má bú qù
Why don't you go
Similar words
为什么wèi shén me: A question about why an event happened or why someone took an action.
干什么gàn shén me: A question about the activity someone is doing or intends to do.
怎么zěn me: A question about the way to do something or the means used.
Definition in Chinese
口语常用的疑问副词，用来询问行为的原因或目的，相当于“你为什么(这样)”或“你干什么”，语气可从随意到责问不等。kóu yǔ cháng yòng de yí wèn fù cí yòng lái xún wèn xíng wéi de yuán yīn huò mù dì xiāng dāng yú nǐ wèi shén me zhè yàng huò nǐ gàn shén me yǔ qì kě cóng suí yì dào zé wèn bù děng
Word origin
The expression comes from the spoken pattern 干 (gàn, "do") + 什么 (shénme, "what"), which was reduced in everyday speech to 干吗 (gànmá, "why; what are you doing").
Usage tips
- English often separates "why" from "what are you doing," but everyday Chinese can use one short expression for both, so the surrounding situation supplies the difference.
Other meanings
- what are you doinginterjection