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Expressing the self-evident with "ma"
=====================================

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    -   [Advanced yes-no questions with
        "ma"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Advanced_yes-no_questions_with_%22ma%22) (B1)
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The particle 嘛 (ma) is a sentence-final particle identical in
pronunciation to the simple ["yes/no question" particle 吗
(ma)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Yes_-_no_questions_with_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).

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Contents
--------

<span class="toctoggle"> [hide]([# "wikilink")\] </span>

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-   [<span class="tocnumber">1</span>
    <span class="toctext">Structure</span>](#Structure "wikilink")
-   [<span class="tocnumber">2</span>
    <span class="toctext">Examples</span>](#Examples "wikilink")
-   [<span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">See
    also</span>](#See_also "wikilink")
-   [<span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Sources and
    further reading</span>](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">4.1</span>
        <span class="toctext">Books</span>](#Books "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">4.2</span>
        <span class="toctext">Websites</span>](#Websites "wikilink")

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<span id="Structure" class="mw-headline">Structure</span>
---------------------------------------------------------

<div class="jiegou">
Statement + 嘛

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<span id="Examples" class="mw-headline">Examples</span>
-------------------------------------------------------

<div class="liju">
-   你 妹妹 很 漂亮 *嘛* 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ mèimei hěn piàoliang
    *ma*.</span><span class="trans">Your sister is pretty.</span>
-   他 家 挺 有钱 的 *嘛* 。<span class="pinyin">Tā jiā tǐng yǒuqián de
    *ma*.</span><span class="trans">His family is pretty rich.</span>
-   不 想 去 就 不要 去 *嘛* 。<span class="pinyin">Bù xiǎng qù jiù
    bùyào qù *ma*.</span><span class="trans">If you don't wanna go,
    don't go.</span>
-   你 别 太 谦虚 *嘛* 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bié tài qiānxū
    *ma*.</span><span class="trans">Don't be too modest.</span>
-   大家 有 话 就 说 *嘛* 。<span class="pinyin">Dàjiā yǒu huà jiù shuō
    *ma*.</span><span class="trans">Guys, you should say whatever you
    want to say.</span>
-   你 跟 他 很 熟 *嘛* 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ gēn tā hěn shóu
    *ma*.</span><span class="trans">You two know each other well.</span>
-   开 慢点 ,安全 第一 *嘛* 。<span class="pinyin">Kāi màn diǎn, ānquán
    dìyī *ma*.</span><span class="trans">Drive slowly. Safety
    first.</span>
-   不用 塑料袋 更 环保 *嘛* 。<span class="pinyin">Bùyòng sùliàodài
    gèng huánbǎo *ma*.</span><span class="trans">It's more
    environmentally friendly not to use plastic bags.</span>
-   这个 老外 很 了解 中国 文化 *嘛* 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège lǎowài
    hěn liǎojiě Zhōngguó wénhuà *ma*.</span><span class="trans">This
    foreigner know a lot about Chinese culture.</span>
-   别 担心 ,一边 工作 一边 学 *嘛* 。<span class="pinyin">Bié dānxīn,
    yībiān gōngzuò yībiān xué
    *ma*.</span><span class="trans">Don't worry. You can learn while you
    work.</span>

</div>
<span id="See_also" class="mw-headline">See also</span>
-------------------------------------------------------

-   [Marking a topic with
    "ma"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Marking_a_topic_with_%22ma%22)

<span id="Sources_and_further_reading" class="mw-headline">Sources and further reading</span>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

### <span id="Books" class="mw-headline">Books</span>

-   [Common Chinese Patterns
    330 (汉语常用格式330例)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Common_Chinese_Patterns_330_(%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%B8%B8%E7%94%A8%E6%A0%BC%E5%BC%8F330%E4%BE%8B)) (pp.
    225) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2zBMfhl)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part
    2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_2) (pp.
    19) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2ftpILV)
-   [Intermediate Chinese - A Grammar and
    Workbook](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Intermediate_Chinese_-_A_Grammar_and_Workbook)
    [→buy](http://amzn.to/2yMqKwy)

### <span id="Websites" class="mw-headline">Websites</span>

-   [Three Simple Uses of the Other "Ma" on a
    Bag](http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2012/01/31/the-other-ma-on-a-bag/)

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