呢
ne
The English phrase "what about" can be expressed in Chinese using 呢.
The particle 呢 is used to make a suggestion.
Meaning: used to make a suggestion (adv)
Which one should you use?
In English, the phrase "what about" precedes the subject, but in Chinese, the particle 呢 follows the subject or topic being questioned. For example, instead of saying "What about you?", the structure functions more like "You what about?"
How does it change in a sentence?
As a particle, 呢 is placed at the end of a noun or pronoun to mean "what about" or "how about".
How do you pronounce it?
ne
Did you know?
- The sound of the particle might be a 'substrate' word, meaning it could have been borrowed from ancient indigenous languages of southern China rather than being part of the original Sinitic core.
- Using 呢 at the end of a sentence softens the tone, making a question feel like a gentle inquiry rather than a direct interrogation.
- In modern Chinese, 呢 is not just for suggestions but also indicates that an action is currently in progress.
Examples in context
- 那環境影響呢？What about the environmental impact?This sentence is useful for questioning a specific topic, such as environmental impact.Tatoeba #13180222 by LeviHighway, translation #11591944 by Amastan
- 我叫約翰，你呢？I am called John. What about you?This sentence is useful for asking a follow-up question about someone.Tatoeba #6142053 by xjjAstrus, translation #7781078 by sharris123
- 我要去沙灘，你呢？I'm going to the beach. What about you?Tatoeba #6197306 by verdastelo9604, translation #3346227 by Theocracy
- 关于明天的会议，你有什么看法？(Guānyú míngtiān de huìyì, nǐ yǒu shénme kànfǎ?)What are your thoughts on tomorrow's meeting?
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我們去吃火鍋吧。Wǒmen qù chī huǒguō ba.Let's go eat hot pot.
- 俊杰 Junjie那吃披薩呢？Nà chī pīsà ne?What about eating pizza?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen今天不想吃西餐。Jīntiān bù xiǎng chī xīcān.I don't want Western food today.
- 俊杰 Junjie好，那我們吃火鍋。Hǎo, nà wǒmen chī huǒguō.Okay, then let's eat hot pot.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 呢, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
