Difference between revisions of "Ending a non-exhaustive list with "shenme de""

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什么的(shénme de) is an informal way to express etc.(formally expressed using 等), and used to end a list of things when it is obvious to the listener what class of things the speaker is talking about. It can also be used after a single item if it is obvious enough what might follow.  
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什么的(shénme de) is an informal way to express etc.(formally expressed using 等), and used to end a list of things when it is obvious to the listener what class of things the speaker is talking about. It can also be used after a single item if it is obvious enough what might follow. It can sound a little offhand, a bit like "you know, that kind of thing".
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Here are some examples:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
* 欧洲 有 哪 些 国家? 法国,英国,德国 <em>什么 的</em>. 反正 都 是 些 小 国家!
 
* 欧洲 有 哪 些 国家? 法国,英国,德国 <em>什么 的</em>. 反正 都 是 些 小 国家!
 
* 像 数学 啊,化学 啊,英语 啊 <em>什么的</em>,我 都 觉得 超级 无聊,不 想 学!
 
* 像 数学 啊,化学 啊,英语 啊 <em>什么的</em>,我 都 觉得 超级 无聊,不 想 学!
* 希特勒 啊,列宁 啊,毛泽东 啊 <em>什么的</em>,这些 人 我 都 不 感兴趣。
 
 
* 游泳 <em>什么的</em> 对 身体 有 好处。
 
* 游泳 <em>什么的</em> 对 身体 有 好处。
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Its can be a little impolite to use 什么的 after a list of peoples names. However, in example 3, the author didn't feel the need to be polite to Hitler, Lenin, and Mao Ze Dong. 等 can be used instead in this case. When referring to a list of friends in informal contexts there is no problem using 什么的.
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Its can be a little impolite to use 什么的 after a list of peoples names, in which case 等 can be used in place of 什么的. When referring to a list of friends in informal contexts there is no problem using 什么的.
 
 
 
 
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
 
=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
 
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* Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) pp.304-307
汉语语法百项讲练 pp304-307
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* Integrated Chinese, ed3 part 1 pp.121
Integrated Chinese, ed3 part 1 p121
 

Revision as of 07:17, 8 November 2011

什么的(shénme de) is an informal way to express etc.(formally expressed using 等), and used to end a list of things when it is obvious to the listener what class of things the speaker is talking about. It can also be used after a single item if it is obvious enough what might follow. It can sound a little offhand, a bit like "you know, that kind of thing".

Here are some examples:

  • 欧洲 有 哪 些 国家? 法国,英国,德国 什么 的. 反正 都 是 些 小 国家!
  • 像 数学 啊,化学 啊,英语 啊 什么的,我 都 觉得 超级 无聊,不 想 学!
  • 游泳 什么的 对 身体 有 好处。

Its can be a little impolite to use 什么的 after a list of peoples names, in which case 等 can be used in place of 什么的. When referring to a list of friends in informal contexts there is no problem using 什么的.

Sources and further reading

Books

  • Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) pp.304-307
  • Integrated Chinese, ed3 part 1 pp.121