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B2 · Grammar reference

Challenging a verb with "shenme"

Adding 什么 (shénme) to the end of a verb can be used to change a sentence into a rhetorical question.

Structure

Verb + 什么 + Verb ?

Verb + 什么 + Obj.

Keywords
什么
Used for
Asking rhetorical questions · Expressing quality · Expressing opinions
Classification
Verbs

Examples (5)

你买什么买,钱都花光了。

你哭什么哭,又不是没有你的礼物。

你笑什么笑,看我做错了,你很开心吗?

你说什么说,大家都不说话,就你说话。

你看什么看,没见过美女啊?

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Full explanation at AllSet Learning

Summary, structure, classification, and adapted sentence examples draw from the AllSet Learning Chinese Grammar Wiki under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0; changes were made. This noncommercial reference is based on an October 2023 snapshot.

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