你在开玩笑吗？
nǐ zài kāi wánxiào ma?
The English phrase "are you kidding me?" is translated into Chinese as 你在开玩笑吗？ (nǐ zài kāi wánxiào ma?)
This phrase is a question used to express disbelief or surprise when someone says something unexpected. If you want to express disbelief without the accusatory tone of "Are you kidding me?", you can use 真的吗？ which means "Really?"
What does it mean word for word?
The core component of the phrase is 开玩笑, which literally means "to open a joke".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While 你在开玩笑吗？ is a standard way to ask the question, there are several informal alternatives. 你在逗我吧？ means "Are you fooling with me?", 你是闹着玩的吗？ means "Are you just messing around?" and the punchy, colloquial phrase 逗我呢 can be used in casual conversation to mean "Are you kidding/teasing me?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The declaration 你在开玩笑 (nǐ zài kāi wánxiào) is turned into a question by adding the particle 吗 (ma) to the end of the statement.
How do you pronounce it?
nǐ zài kāi wánxiào ma?
Did you know?
- In some dialects, people use the term 开涮 to mean 'making a fool of someone', which literally refers to the act of rinsing or scrubbing something in water.
- The word 逗 in 你在逗我吧？ is the same word used for teasing animals, such as using a string to play with a cat.
- The phrase 闹着玩 (nào zhe wán) used in 你是闹着玩的吗? involves the word 闹 (nào), which can also mean 'to make a noise' or 'to create a disturbance'.
Example conversation
Zhiqiang tells Jiayi that the concert is sold out.
- 志强 Zhiqiang票已经卖完了。Piào yǐjīng mài wán le.The tickets are already sold out.
- 佳怡 Jiayi你在开玩笑吗？Nǐ zài kāiwánxiào ma?Are you kidding me?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我没有开玩笑。Wǒ méiyǒu kāiwánxiào.I am not kidding.
- 佳怡 Jiayi那太遗憾了。Nà tài yíhàn le.That is such a shame.
