搞什么鬼
gǎo shénme guǐ
The English phrase "what the hell" is translated into Chinese as 搞什么鬼 (gǎo shénme guǐ).
搞什么鬼 is used to express confusion, annoyance or suspicion regarding someone's actions or a sudden situation.
Meaning: an intensive form of what (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "do what ghost". In this context, the word for "ghost" (鬼) is used to add an intensive, nonsensical or frustrated quality to the question.
Which one should you use?
The standard form is 搞什么鬼, but you may also see 搞什么鬼呀. The addition of the sentence-final particle 呀 can make the expression sound more exasperated or, depending on the tone, slightly more colloquial and playful.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
搞什么鬼 is an informal expression. Because it conveys irritation, it should be avoided in polite or professional settings. An informal way to express disbelief or frustration is 简直太扯了.
How do you pronounce it?
gǎo shénme guǐ
Did you know?
- The word 鬼 can also be used to describe someone who is a 'clever devil' or an expert at something. In certain contexts, calling someone a 'ghost' is actually a compliment to their cunningness.
- In modern internet slang, users often replace the character 鬼 with a ghost emoji to soften the frustration and make the phrase look like a meme.
- The verb 搞 ('do' or 'get') is one of the most versatile words in Chinese and can replace almost any action verb in informal speech to imply 'messing around'.
Examples in context
- 你到底在搞什么鬼？Nǐ dàodǐ zài gǎo shénme guǐ?What the hell are you doing?
- 这到底是在搞什么鬼？Zhè dàodǐ shì zài gǎo shénme guǐ?What the hell is going on here?
- 他在那里搞什么鬼？Tā zài nàlǐ gǎo shénme guǐ?What the hell is he doing over there?
Example conversation
Zhixiang finds his computer is behaving strangely.
- 志强 Zhiqiang这台电脑在搞什么鬼？Zhè tái diànnǎo zài gǎo shénme guǐ?What the hell is wrong with this computer?
- 梓涵 Zihan可能是系统出故障了。Kěnéng shì xìtǒng chū gùzhàng le.Maybe the system crashed.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我刚才明明还没动它。Wǒ gāngcái míngmíng hái méi dòng tā.I clearly didn't even touch it just now.
- 梓涵 Zihan别急，我看看能不能修好。Bié jí, wǒ kànkan néng bù néng xiūhǎo.Don't worry, let me see if I can fix it.
