Difference between revisions of "Rhetorical questions with "nandao""
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| − | Rhetorical questions use the form of a question to emphasize a point, and as such the question does not require an answer | + | Rhetorical questions use the form of a question to emphasize a point, and as such the question does not require an answer. A typical English rhetorical question might be: "you're not saying you actually believe him are you?". In Chinese, 难道 (nándào) is used as a marker to form this kind of question. |
For example; | For example; | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * <em>难道</em> 你 真的 相信 他 吗？ <span class="expl">( | + | * <em>难道</em> 你 真的 相信 他 吗？ <span class="expl">(You're not telling me you actually believe this guy?)</span> |
* <em>难道</em> 我 是 你 妈妈 吗? <span class="expl">(What am I, your mother or something?)</span> | * <em>难道</em> 我 是 你 妈妈 吗? <span class="expl">(What am I, your mother or something?)</span> | ||
* 今天 是 我 的 生日，<em>难道</em> 你 不 知道 吗？ <span class="expl">(Today's my birthday, you're not telling me you forgot?)</span> | * 今天 是 我 的 生日，<em>难道</em> 你 不 知道 吗？ <span class="expl">(Today's my birthday, you're not telling me you forgot?)</span> | ||
Revision as of 02:06, 14 November 2011
Rhetorical questions use the form of a question to emphasize a point, and as such the question does not require an answer. A typical English rhetorical question might be: "you're not saying you actually believe him are you?". In Chinese, 难道 (nándào) is used as a marker to form this kind of question.
For example;
- 难道 你 真的 相信 他 吗？ (You're not telling me you actually believe this guy?)
- 难道 我 是 你 妈妈 吗? (What am I, your mother or something?)
- 今天 是 我 的 生日，难道 你 不 知道 吗？ (Today's my birthday, you're not telling me you forgot?)
- 难道 跟 我 一起 走 一辈子 不 浪漫 吗？ (So "till death do us part" isn't romantic enough for you is it?)
Note that 难道 can only be used for rhetorical questions which could be answered with yes or no, and generally end with 吗.
- 难道 我 应该 给 你 多少 钱？
- 难道我们 还 要 遭受 多少 年 的 压迫？
