Expressing the self-evident with "ma"

The particle 嘛 (ma) is a sentence-final particle identical in pronunciation to the simple "yes/no question" particle 吗 (ma) you learned back in the day, but with a rather different function. It can be used when the speaker feels what he is saying is obvious (from his point of view).

Structure

Statement + 嘛

Examples

• 你 妹妹 很 漂亮 嘛 。She's clearly pretty.Nǐ mèimei hěn piàoliang ma.Your sister is pretty.
• 他 挺 有钱 的 嘛 。He has shown that's he's rich.Tā tǐng yǒuqián de ma.He is pretty rich.
• 不 想 去 就 不要 去 嘛 。Clearly you don't have to.Bù xiǎng qù jiù bùyào qù ma.If you don't wanna go, don't go.
• 你 别 太 谦虚 嘛 。Obviously you're being super modest.Nǐ bié tài qiānxū ma.Don't be too modest.
• 大家 有 话 就 说 嘛 。Clearly you can just say it.Dàjiā yǒu huà jiù shuō ma.Guys, just say whatever you have to say.
• 你 跟 他 很 熟 嘛 。You two are obviously well acquainted.Nǐ gēn tā hěn shóu ma.You two know each other well.
• 开 慢 点 ，安全 第一 嘛 。We all know: safety first!Kāi màn diǎn, ānquán dìyī ma.Drive slowly. Safety first.
• 不用 塑料袋 更 环保 嘛 。You know you should be eco-friendly!Bùyòng sùliàodài gèng huánbǎo ma.It's more environmentally friendly not to use plastic bags.
• 这个 外国人 很 了解 中国 文化 嘛 。He has amazed us all.Zhège wàiguórén hěn liǎojiě Zhōngguó wénhuà ma.This foreigner knows a lot about Chinese culture.
• 别 担心 ，一边 工作 一边 学 嘛 。Clearly this takes time to learn.Bié dānxīn, yībiān gōngzuò yībiān xué ma.Don't worry. You can learn as you work.

See also

• Marking a topic with "ma"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (pp. 225) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 19) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Intermediate Chinese - A Grammar and Workbook Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

Websites

• Three Simple Uses of the Other "Ma" on a Bag