Difference between revisions of "Simple rhetorical questions"
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This first one is the easiest and most common. It can be quite friendly, seemingly reminding the other person of a fact they seem to have (conveniently?) forgotten.
 
This first one is the easiest and most common. It can be quite friendly, seemingly reminding the other person of a fact they seem to have (conveniently?) forgotten.
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<div class="jiegou">
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能……吗？
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</div>
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This one is often quite sarcastic, pointing out someone else's unrealistic expectations. (The obvious answer is "no" here.)
  
 
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<div class="jiegou">
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
<ul class="dialog">
 
<ul class="dialog">
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> 这 是 <em>什么</em>？<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì <em>shénme</em>?</span><span class="trans">What is this?</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> ？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
−
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span>这 是 <em>我 的 iPad</em>。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì <em>wǒ de iPad</em>.</span><span class="trans">This is my iPad.</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>不是</em>……<em>吗？</em><span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
<ul class="dialog">
 
<ul class="dialog">
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span>你 喜欢 吃 <em>什么</em> 菜？<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ xǐhuan chī <em>shénme</em> cài?</span><span class="trans">What kind of food do you like?</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> ？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 喜欢 吃 <em>中国 菜</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ xǐhuan chī <em>Zhōngguó cài</em>.</span><span class="trans">I like Chinese food.</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>不是</em>……<em>吗？</em><span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
<ul class="dialog">
 
<ul class="dialog">
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span>你 用 <em>什么</em> 手机？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ yòng <em>shénme</em> shǒujī?</span><span class="trans">What kind of cell phone do you use?</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> ？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
−
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 用 <em>iPhone</em>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yòng <em>iPhone</em>.</span><span class="trans">I use an iPhone.</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>不是</em>……<em>吗？</em><span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
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</ul>
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</div>
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 +
<div class="liju">
 +
<ul class="dialog">
 +
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> ？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
 +
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>能</em>……<em>吗？</em><span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
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</ul>
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</div>
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 +
<div class="liju">
 +
<ul class="dialog">
 +
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> ？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
 +
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>能</em>……<em>吗？</em><span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
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</ul>
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</div>
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
<ul class="dialog">
 +
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> ？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
 +
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>能</em>……<em>吗？</em><span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
<ul class="dialog">
 
<ul class="dialog">
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span>你 在 看 <em>什么</em> 书？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zài kàn <em>shénme</em> shū?</span><span class="trans">What kind of book are you reading?</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> ？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">B:</span>我 在 看 <em>小说</em>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zài kàn <em>xiǎoshuō</em>.</span><span class="trans">I am reading a novel.</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>怎么会</em>……？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
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</ul>
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</div>
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 +
<div class="liju">
 +
<ul class="dialog">
 +
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> ？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
 +
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>怎么会</em>……？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
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</ul>
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
<ul class="dialog">
 +
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> ？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
 +
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>怎么会</em>……？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
 +
</ul>
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
<ul class="dialog">
 +
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> ？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
 +
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>谁让你</em>……？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
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</ul>
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
<ul class="dialog">
 +
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> ？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
 +
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>谁让你</em>……？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
<ul class="dialog">
 
<ul class="dialog">
−
<li><span class="speaker">A:</span>他 开 <em>什么</em> 车？<span class="pinyin">Tā kāi <em>shénme</em> chē?</span><span class="trans"> What kind of car does he drive?</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">A:</span> ？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
−
<li><span class="speaker">B:</span>他 开 <em>宝马</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Tā kāi <em>Bǎomǎ</em>.</span><span class="trans">He drives a BMW.</span></li>
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<li><span class="speaker">B:</span><em>谁让你</em>……？<span class="pinyin">?</span><span class="trans">?</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>

Revision as of 08:21, 3 June 2019

Rhetorical questions are ones where the speaker doesn't really expect an answer. The answer should be obvious, and the question is asked in order to make a point.

Structure

There are several very common types of rhetorical questions using basic words you already know:

不是……吗？

This first one is the easiest and most common. It can be quite friendly, seemingly reminding the other person of a fact they seem to have (conveniently?) forgotten.

能……吗？

This one is often quite sarcastic, pointing out someone else's unrealistic expectations. (The obvious answer is "no" here.)

怎么会……？

This second one has a tone of incredulity. The speaker clearly thinks this shouldn't have happened, or thought it couldn't have happened.

谁让你……？

The third one is exclusively used by surly or annoyed people. It means "who told you to...?" or "who made you...?"

Examples

  • A: ？??
  • B:不是……吗？??
  • A: ？??
  • B:不是……吗？??
  • A: ？??
  • B:不是……吗？??
  • A: ？??
  • B:能……吗？??
  • A: ？??
  • B:能……吗？??
  • A: ？??
  • B:能……吗？??
  • A: ？??
  • B:怎么会……？??
  • A: ？??
  • B:怎么会……？??
  • A: ？??
  • B:怎么会……？??
  • A: ？??
  • B:谁让你……？??
  • A: ？??
  • B:谁让你……？??
  • A: ？??
  • B:谁让你……？??

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites



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