Difference between revisions of "Challenging an adjective with "shenme""

 
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Adding 什么 (shénme) after an adjective can be used to form a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetorical_question| rhetorical question]. The speaker is implying that there's no good reason to be [adjective].
Adding 什么(shénme) to the end of an adjective (or less frequently to a verb) can be used to form a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetorical_question| rhetorical question]. For example, in the phrase 你急什么?"what are you worried about?," the speaker is implying that there is no need to be worried.  
 
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Adj. + 什么 (+ Adj.)
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Adj. + 什么 (+ Adj.) (+ 啊 / 呀) ?
</div>
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
Verb + 什么 (+ Verb) ?
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Like in English, "what are you worried about" can be a rhetorical question, and can also be actually inquiring about what exactly the listener is worried about. The same is true in Chinese, so context and tone of voice is important in understanding what the speaker means.
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Note that in this pattern, adjectives and [[psychological verb]]s both work equally well. We haven't distinguished between the two in the examples below, but that shouldn't present any problems.
  
 
== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
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*<em>胖 什么 胖</em> 啊,在 北方,这样的 人 很 常见。<span class="pinyin"><em>Pàng shénme pàng</em> a, zài běifāng, zhèyàng de rén hěn chángjiàn.</span><span class="trans">Who are you calling fat? People like this are common in the north.</span>
*<em>紧张 什么</em> 啊,你 不 是 上 过 好 几 次 舞台 了 吗?应该 早就 习惯 了 吧。<span class="pinyin"><em>Jǐnzhāng shénme</em> a, nǐ bùshì shàngguò hǎojǐ wǔtáile ma? Yīnggāi zǎo jiù xíguànle ba.</span><span class="trans">What are you nervous for? Haven't you been on stage a bunch of times? You should be used to it by now.</span>
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*<em>大 什么 大</em> 啊,四 个 人 住在 一起,房间 太 小 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Dà shénme dà</em> a, sì gè rén zhùzài yīqǐ, fángjiān tài xiǎo le.</span><span class="trans">You call this big? If you have four people living here together it's too small.</span>
*<em>郁闷 什么</em> 呀,看看 这 蓝蓝 的天空,绿绿 的 田园,生活 多 美好 啊!<span class="pinyin"><em>Yùmèn shénme</em> ya, kàn kàn zhè lán lán de tiānkōng, lǜlǜ de tiányuán, shēnghuó duō měihǎo a!</span><span class="trans">Why so sad? Look at the blue sky, the green fields, life is so beautiful!</span>  
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*<em>高 什么</em> 啊,上海 还有 更 高的 大楼。<span class="pinyin"><em>Gāo shénme</em> a, Shànghǎi háiyǒu gèng gāo de dàlóu.</span><span class="trans">What do you mean, "tall"? There are even taller buildings in Shanghai.</span>
*<em>什么 </em>,还 早 着 呢。<span class="pinyin"><em>shénme</em> , hái zǎo zhene.</span><span class="trans">Why are you so anxious? It's still early.</span>
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*<em>累 什么 累</em> 啊,你 一 个 星期 只 工作 四 天。<span class="pinyin"><em>Lèi shénme lèi</em> a, nǐ yī gè xīngqī zhī gōngzuò sì tiān.</span><span class="trans">How are you tired? You only work four days a week.</span>
*<em>什么 </em>,没 见 过 美 女 啊?<span class="pinyin"><em>kàn shénme kàn</em>, méi jiànguò měinǚ a?</span><span class="trans">What are you looking at? Haven't you seen a pretty girl before?</span>
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*<em>聪明 什么</em> 啊,比 我 聪明 的 人 有 很 多 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cōngming shénme</em> a, bǐ wǒ cōngming de rén yǒu hěnduō.</span><span class="trans">Smart? There are a lot of people smarter than me.</span>
 
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*<em>紧张 什么</em> 啊,你 不 是 上 过 好 几 次 舞台 了 吗 ?应该 早 就 习惯 了 吧。<span class="pinyin"><em>Jǐnzhāng shénme</em> a, nǐ bù shì shàng guo hǎo jǐ wǔtái le ma? Yīnggāi zǎo jiù xíguàn le ba.</span><span class="trans">What are you nervous for? Haven't you been on stage a bunch of times? You should be used to it by now.</span>
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*<em>担心 什么</em> 啊,肯定 可以 买到 票 的。<span class="pinyin"><em>Dānxīn shénme</em> a, kěndìng kěyǐ mǎi dào piào de.</span><span class="trans">What are you worried about? We'll definitely be able to buy the tickets.</span>
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*<em>难过 什么</em> 啊,以后 还 会 再 见 的。<span class="pinyin"><em>Nánguò shénme</em> a, yǐhòu hái huì zài jiàn de.</span><span class="trans">What are you sad about? We'll meet again for sure.</span>
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*<em>郁闷 什么</em> 呀,看看 这 蓝蓝的 天空,绿绿的 田园,生活 多 美好 啊!<span class="pinyin"><em>Yùmèn shénme</em> ya, kàn-kan zhè lánlán de tiānkōng, lǜlǜ de tiányuán, shēnghuó duō měihǎo a!</span><span class="trans">Why so glum? Look at that blue sky, those green fields. Life is so wonderful!</span>  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
If the adjective or verb is repeated after the 什么 as in the 3rd and 4th example, it acts to give further emphasis. It almost has a tone of incredulity, a bit like "what on earth are you worried/anxious about?" Generally only single character adjectives can be used in this way.
+
If the adjective or psychological verb is repeated after the 什么 as in some of the examples above, it acts to give further emphasis. It almost has a tone of incredulity, a bit like "what on earth are you worried/anxious about?" Generally only single character adjectives can be used in this way.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
<li class="o">你忙什么忙?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ máng shénme máng?</span><span class="trans">What are you busy with?</span></li>
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<li class="o">你 <em>忙 什么 忙</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>máng shénme máng</em>?</span><span class="trans">What are you busy with?</span></li>
<li class="x">你紧张什么紧张?</li>
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<li class="x">你 <em>紧张 什么 紧张</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>jǐnzhāng shénme jǐnzhāng</em>?
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<li class="o">你 <em>紧张 什么</em> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>jǐnzhāng shénme</em>?
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</span><span class="trans">What are you nervous about?</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
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== Sources and Further Reading ==
 
== Sources and Further Reading ==
  
[[Category: B2 grammar points]]
 
 
[[Category: Adjectives]]
 
[[Category: Adjectives]]
{{Basic Grammar|什么|B2|Adj. + 什么?|你<em>急 什么 急</em>,还 早 着 呢。|grammar point|ASGNV2TZ}}
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{{Basic Grammar|什么||Adj. + 什么?|你<em>急 什么 急</em>,还 早 着 呢。|grammar point|ASGNV2TZ}}
{{Similar|Challenging a Verb with "shenme"}}
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{{Similar|Challenging a verb with "shenme"}}
 
{{Used for|Asking questions}}
 
{{Used for|Asking questions}}
 
{{POS|Adjectives}}
 
{{POS|Adjectives}}

Latest revision as of 10:13, 23 December 2020

Chinese-grammar-wiki-shenme.jpg

Adding 什么 (shénme) after an adjective can be used to form a rhetorical question. The speaker is implying that there's no good reason to be [adjective].

Structure

Adj. + 什么 (+ Adj.) (+ 啊 / 呀) ?

Note that in this pattern, adjectives and psychological verbs both work equally well. We haven't distinguished between the two in the examples below, but that shouldn't present any problems.

Examples

  • 胖 什么 胖 啊,在 北方,这样的 人 很 常见。Pàng shénme pàng a, zài běifāng, zhèyàng de rén hěn chángjiàn.Who are you calling fat? People like this are common in the north.
  • 大 什么 大 啊,四 个 人 住在 一起,房间 太 小 了。Dà shénme dà a, sì gè rén zhùzài yīqǐ, fángjiān tài xiǎo le.You call this big? If you have four people living here together it's too small.
  • 高 什么 啊,上海 还有 更 高的 大楼。Gāo shénme a, Shànghǎi háiyǒu gèng gāo de dàlóu.What do you mean, "tall"? There are even taller buildings in Shanghai.
  • 累 什么 累 啊,你 一 个 星期 只 工作 四 天。Lèi shénme lèi a, nǐ yī gè xīngqī zhī gōngzuò sì tiān.How are you tired? You only work four days a week.
  • 聪明 什么 啊,比 我 聪明 的 人 有 很 多 。Cōngming shénme a, bǐ wǒ cōngming de rén yǒu hěnduō.Smart? There are a lot of people smarter than me.
  • 紧张 什么 啊,你 不 是 上 过 好 几 次 舞台 了 吗 ?应该 早 就 习惯 了 吧。Jǐnzhāng shénme a, nǐ bù shì shàng guo hǎo jǐ cì wǔtái le ma? Yīnggāi zǎo jiù xíguàn le ba.What are you nervous for? Haven't you been on stage a bunch of times? You should be used to it by now.
  • 担心 什么 啊,肯定 可以 买到 票 的。Dānxīn shénme a, kěndìng kěyǐ mǎi dào piào de.What are you worried about? We'll definitely be able to buy the tickets.
  • 难过 什么 啊,以后 还 会 再 见 的。Nánguò shénme a, yǐhòu hái huì zài jiàn de.What are you sad about? We'll meet again for sure.
  • 郁闷 什么 呀,看看 这 蓝蓝的 天空,绿绿的 田园,生活 多 美好 啊!Yùmèn shénme ya, kàn-kan zhè lánlán de tiānkōng, lǜlǜ de tiányuán, shēnghuó duō měihǎo a!Why so glum? Look at that blue sky, those green fields. Life is so wonderful!

If the adjective or psychological verb is repeated after the 什么 as in some of the examples above, it acts to give further emphasis. It almost has a tone of incredulity, a bit like "what on earth are you worried/anxious about?" Generally only single character adjectives can be used in this way.

  • 忙 什么 忙máng shénme máng?What are you busy with?
  • 紧张 什么 紧张jǐnzhāng shénme jǐnzhāng?
  • 紧张 什么jǐnzhāng shénme? What are you nervous about?

See also

Sources and Further Reading

:INVALID"INVALID" is not in the list (HSK0, HSK1, HSK2, HSK3, HSK4, HSK5, HSK6) of allowed values for the "HSK" property.