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ChineseGrammarWiki


			
				
					
						
						
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  <p>Adding&#160;<span class="hanzi">什么</span>(<span class="pinyin">shénme</span>) to the end of an adjective (or less frequently to a verb) can be used to form a [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetorical_question" class="uri">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetorical_question</a>| rhetorical question]. For example, in the phrase&#160;<span class="hanzi">你急什么？</span>"<b>what are you worried about?</b>," the speaker is implying that there is no need to be worried.</p>

  <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>

  <div class="jiegou">
    <div class="deux">
      Adj.／Verb +&#160;<span class="hanzist">什么</span>&#160;+ (Adj.／Verb)？
    </div>
  </div>

  <p>Like in English, "what are you worried about" can be a rhetorical question, and can also be actually inquiring about what exactly the listener is worried about. The same is true in Chinese, so context and tone of voice is important in understanding what the speaker means.</p>

  <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">紧张 什么 啊，你 不 是 上 过 好 几 次 舞台 了 吗？应该 早就 习惯 了 吧。</span>&#160;<span class="trans">What are you nervous for? Haven't you been on stage a bunch of times? You should be used to it by now.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">郁闷 什么 呀，看看 这 蓝蓝 的天空，绿绿 的 田园，生活 多 美好 啊！</span>&#160;<span class="trans">Why so sad? Look at the blue sky, the green fields, life is so beautiful!</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你急 什么 急，还 早 着 呢。</span>&#160;<span class="trans">Why are you so anxious? It's still early.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你看 什么 看，没 见 过 美 女 啊？</span>&#160;<span class="trans">What are you looking at? Haven't you seen a pretty girl before?</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <p>If the adjective or verb is repeated after the&#160;<span class="hanzi">什么</span>&#160;as in the 3rd and 4th example, it acts to give further emphasis. It almost has a tone of incredulity, a bit like "<b>what on earth are you worried/anxious about?</b>" Generally only single character adjectives can be used in this way.</p>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">你忙什么忙？</span><br/></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你紧张什么紧张？</span><br/></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>

  <ul>
    <li><a href="Challenging_a_Verb_with_''shenme'&quot;" title="wikilink">Challenging a Verb with ''shenme'"</a></li>
  </ul>

  <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and Further Reading</h2>
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