Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 請再說一遍 / 请再说一遍 | qǐng zàishuō yī biàn |
| 什么 | shénme |
| 什麼 / 什么 |
These terms are used as interjections when you have not heard or understood what someone has said and want them to repeat themselves.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 請再說一遍 / 请再说一遍 literally means 'please again say one time'.
Which one should you use?
While 請再說一遍 / 请再说一遍 is a polite request to repeat oneself, the single word 什么 (or 什麼) is a much more abrupt and informal way to say 'pardon?' or 'what?'
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
請再說一遍 / 请再说一遍 is the appropriate way to ask someone to repeat themselves in a formal or respectful setting. Conversely, 什么 is informal and abrupt. For an even more formal way to begin a question or request, you may use 请问 (qǐngwèn), which means 'May I ask'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
qǐng zàishuō yī biàn
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse the interjection used to request repetition with the verb 'pardon' (to forgive an offense). In Chinese, requesting repetition uses 請再說一遍 / 请再说一遍, while the concept of forgiving an offense uses 原諒 / 原谅.
Did you know?
- The word 什麼 may have originated from the phrase 什物, which referred to 'miscellaneous items'.
- In very casual settings, speakers often bypass formal phrases entirely and use the particle 嗯 (én) with a rising tone to indicate they did not hear something.
- In some Chinese dialects, doubling the word to 什麼什麼 / 什么什么 can be used to vaguely refer to a list of unnamed things, much like saying 'and whatnot' in English.
Examples in context
- 请问这儿是什么地方？Pardon me, what place is this?This sentence uses 什么 to ask about the nature of a place.Tatoeba #392196 by sysko, translation #789574 by jimcor
- 请问，你刚才说什么？May I ask, what did you just say?
- 不好意思，刚才没听清楚，可否重复一下？I'm sorry, I didn't hear clearly just now, could you please repeat?
- 对不起，没听清楚，能再说一次吗？Sorry, I didn't hear you clearly, could you say it again?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pardon” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 什麼, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
