Ending a non-exhaustive list with "shenme de"

什么的 (shénme de) is an informal way to express "and so on," and is used to end a list of items when it is obvious to the listener what class of things the speaker is talking about. 什么的 can also be used after a single item if it is obvious enough what might follow.

Structure

Noun 1, Noun 2 (+ Noun 3) + 什么的

Examples

  • 我 奶奶 不 吃 肉 ，只 吃 蔬菜 、豆腐 什么的 。Wǒ nǎinai bù chī ròu, zhǐ chī shūcài, dòufu shénme de.My grandma doesn't eat meat. She only eats vegetables, tofu, and so on.
  • 养狗 很 麻烦 ，你 要 喂 它 ，给 它 洗澡 ，跟 它 玩 什么的 。Yǎng gǒu hěn máfan, nǐ yào wèi tā, gěi tā xǐzǎo, gēn tā wán shénme de.Having a dog is too much trouble. You need to feed it, give it a bath, play with it, and so on.
  • 数学 、物理 、化学 什么的 ，我 都 不 感兴趣 。Shùxué, wùlǐ, huàxué shénme de, wǒ dōu bù gǎnxìngqù.Math, physics, chemistry, and so on. I'm not interested in any of them.
  • 我 喜欢 实用 的 礼物 ，手表 、衣服 、书 什么的 。Wǒ xǐhuan shíyòng de lǐwù, shǒubiǎo, yīfu, shū shénme de.I like practical presents: watches, clothes, books, and so on.
  • 我们 见面 一般 就是 吃饭、聊天 什么的 。Wǒmen jiànmiàn yībān jiùshì chīfàn, liáotiān shénme de.When we meet, we just eat a meal, chat, and so on.
  • 明天 去 野餐 ，我们 要 不 要 买 一些 水果、零食 什么的 ？Míngtiān qù yěcān, wǒmen yào bu yào mǎi yīxiē shuǐguǒ, língshí shénme de?We are going on picnic tomorrow. Shall we buy some fruits, snacks, and so on?
  • 跑步、游泳 、篮球 什么的 ，这些 运动 他 都 喜欢 。Pǎobù, yóuyǒng, lánqiú shénme de, zhèxiē yùndòng tā dōu xǐhuan.Running, swimming, basketball, and so on. He likes all these sports.
  • 长城 、故宫 什么的 ，都 是 北京 很 有名 的 景点 。Chángchéng, Gùgōng shénme de, dōu shì Běijīng hěn yǒumíng de jǐngdiǎn.The Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and so on. They're all very famous tourist attractions in Beijing.
  • 一个人 住 ，洗衣服 、做饭 什么的 都 要 自己 做 。Yīgèrén zhù, xǐ yīfu, zuòfàn shénme de dōu yào zìjǐ zuò.When you live alone, laundry, cooking, and so on all need to be done yourself.
  • 电视 、洗衣机 什么的 ，我 爸爸 都 会 修 。Diànshì, xǐyījī shénme de, wǒ bàba dōu huì xiū.Televisions, washing machines, and so on. My father can fix all those.

It can be a little impolite to use 什么的 after a list of peoples names, in which case 等 can be used in place of 什么的. When referring to a list of friends in informal contexts there is no problem using 什么的.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

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