Difference between revisions of "Rhetorical questions with "nandao""
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| − | * <em>难道</em> 你 真的 相信 他 | + | * <em>难道</em> 你 真的 相信 他 <strong>吗</strong>？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Nándào</em> nǐ zhēn de xiāngxìn tā <strong>ma</strong>?</span><span class="trans">You don't actually believe him, do you?</span> |
| − | * <em>难道</em> 你 是 我 妈 | + | * <em>难道</em> 你 是 我 妈 <strong>吗</strong>？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Nándào</em> nǐ shì wǒ mā <strong>ma</strong>?</span><span class="trans">What are you, my mother or something?</span> |
| − | * 今天 是 我 的 生日，<em>难道</em> 你 不 知道 | + | * 今天 是 我 的 生日，<em>难道</em> 你 不 知道 <strong>吗</strong>？ <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān shì wǒ de shēngrì, <em>nándào</em> nǐ bù zhīdào <strong>ma</strong>?</span><span class="trans">Today's my birthday; you're telling me you didn't know?</span> |
| − | * <em>难道</em> 你 今天 没 去 上班 | + | * <em>难道</em> 你 今天 没 去 上班 <strong>吗</strong>？<span class="pinyin"><em>Nándào</em> nǐ jīntiān méi qù shàngbān <strong>ma</strong>?</span><span class="trans">Did you not go to work today?</span> |
| − | * 你 这么 冷静，<em>难道</em> 不 知道 发生 了 什么 | + | * 你 这么 冷静，<em>难道</em> 不 知道 发生 了 什么 <strong>吗</strong>？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhème lěngjìng, <em>nándào</em> bù zhīdào fāshēngle shénme <strong>ma</strong>?</span><span class="trans">You are so calm. Do you not know what happened?</span> |
| − | * 你 父母 这么 关心 你， <em>难道</em> 你 一点 都 感觉 不到 | + | * 你 父母 这么 关心 你， <em>难道</em> 你 一点 都 感觉 不到 <strong>吗</strong>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ fùmǔ zhème guānxīn nǐ, <em>nándào</em> nǐ yīdiǎn dōu gǎnjué bù dào <strong>ma</strong>?</span><span class="trans">Your parents care so much about you. Don't tell me that you don't feel it at all?</span> |
| − | * 他 这么 帅，又 这么 有钱，<em>难道</em> 你 不 想 嫁 给 他 | + | * 他 这么 帅，又 这么 有钱，<em>难道</em> 你 不 想 嫁 给 他 <strong>吗</strong>？<span class="pinyin">Tā zhème shuài, yòu zhème yǒu qián, <em>nándào</em> nǐ bù xiǎng jià gěi tā <strong>ma</strong>?</span><span class="trans">He's so handsome and rich! Are you telling me that you don't want to marry him?</span> |
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| − | <li class="x"> <em>难道</em> 我 应该 给 你 多少 | + | <li class="x"><em>难道</em> 我 应该 给 你 多少 钱 ？<span class="pinyin"><em>Nándào</em> wǒ yīnggāi gěi nǐ duōshao qián?</span><span class="expl">Not a 吗 question</span><span class="trans">How much money should I give you?</span></li> |
| − | <li class="x"> <em>难道</em> | + | <li class="x"><em>难道</em>他们 还 要 等 多长 时间 ？<span class="pinyin"><em>Nándào</em> tāmen hái yào děng duōcháng shíjiān?</span><span class="expl">Not a 吗 question</span><span class="trans">How long do they still have to wait?</span></li> |
| − | <li class="x"> <em>难道</em> | + | <li class="x"><em>难道</em>你 还 想 在 这 种 公司 工作 多少 年 ？<span class="pinyin"><em>Nándào</em> nǐ hái xiǎng zài zhè zhǒng gōngsī gōngzuò duōshao nián?</span><span class="expl">Not a 吗 question</span><span class="trans">How many more years do you want to work for this kind of company?</span></li> |
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Revision as of 09:22, 10 November 2020
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Used for
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Keywords
Rhetorical questions use the form of a question to emphasize a point, thus do not require an answer. A typical English rhetorical question might be: "you're not saying you actually believe him, are you?" or "just how stupid are you?" In Chinese, 难道 (nándào) is used as a marker to form this kind of question. Since we don't "mark" our rhetorical questions like this in English, this can take some getting used to in Chinese.
Structure
难道 + [Rhetorical Question] + 吗？
Examples
- 难道 你 真的 相信 他 吗？ You don't actually believe him, do you?
- 难道 你 是 我 妈 吗？ What are you, my mother or something?
- 今天 是 我 的 生日，难道 你 不 知道 吗？ Today's my birthday; you're telling me you didn't know?
- 难道 你 今天 没 去 上班 吗？Did you not go to work today?
- 你 这么 冷静，难道 不 知道 发生 了 什么 吗？ You are so calm. Do you not know what happened?
- 你 父母 这么 关心 你， 难道 你 一点 都 感觉 不到 吗？Your parents care so much about you. Don't tell me that you don't feel it at all?
- 他 这么 帅，又 这么 有钱，难道 你 不 想 嫁 给 他 吗？He's so handsome and rich! Are you telling me that you don't want to marry him?
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 ？Not a 吗 questionHow much money should I give you?
- 难道他们 还 要 等 多长 时间 ？Not a 吗 questionHow long do they still have to wait?
- 难道你 还 想 在 这 种 公司 工作 多少 年 ？Not a 吗 questionHow many more years do you want to work for this kind of company?
See Also
Sources and further reading
Books
- HSK Standard Course 4上 (pp. 105) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 2 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 132-3) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Boya Chinese Upper Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语中级冲刺篇) (pp. 91-2) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 120) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 83) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
