what is assignment in mandarin

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▾ dictionary english-chinese under construction, assignment noun —, assignment —, assign ( sth. ) verb —, school assignment —, await job assignment (term used only in mainland china) —, send on assignment —, temporary assignment a chinese government or cpc post —, offer oneself for an assignment —, be kept waiting for an assignment or audience with a vip —, special assignment (military) —, select and assign —, assign to a job —, assign (a task to sb) —, assign corvée duties (forced labor) —, assign (to a class) —, assign a name, title etc —, assign (a task to different people) —, assign an essay topic —, assign sb. to a job —, assign —, assign n —, ▾ external sources (not reviewed).

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What is the translation of "assignment" in Chinese?

"assignment" in chinese, assignment {noun}.

• volume_up (课外)作业

assigner {noun}

• volume_up 出让方

assign {noun}

• volume_up 受让人

assignable {adj.}

• volume_up 可分配的

assigned {adj.}

• volume_up 赋值的

Translations

• open_in_new Link to source
• warning Request revision

assignable {adjective}

Assigned {adjective}, context sentences, english chinese contextual examples of "assignment" in chinese.

These sentences come from external sources and may not be accurate. bab.la is not responsible for their content.

Monolingual examples

English how to use "assignment" in a sentence, english how to use "assigner" in a sentence, english how to use "assign" in a sentence, english how to use "assignable" in a sentence, english how to use "assigned" in a sentence, synonyms (english) for "assignment":.

• appointment
• designation
• duty assignment
• transferable
• transferrable
• assign marks
• assign priority according to seniority
• assign redundant civil servants to other jobs while allowing them to retain their original rank and benefits
• assignation
• assigned counsel
• assignment command
• assignment conversion
• assignment expression
• assignment of graduates
• assignment operators
• assignment statement
• assignment symbol
• assignments
• assimilability

Moreover, bab.la provides the Czech-English dictionary for more translations.

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Translations for „ assignment “ in the English » Chinese Dictionary (Go to Chinese » English )

Assignment [əˈsaınmənt] n, 1. assignment:, 2. assignment:, monolingual examples (not verified by pons editors).

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• assistant principal

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The Best Way to Learn Mandarin

Last Updated: April 12, 2024 Fact Checked

• Improving Your Skills
• How to Practice & Become Fluent

Practice Translations and Answers

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This article was written by Tian Zhou and by wikiHow staff writer, Johnathan Fuentes . Tian Zhou is a Language Specialist and the Founder of Sishu Mandarin, a Chinese Language School in the New York metropolitan area. Tian holds a Bachelor's Degree in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) from Sun Yat-sen University and a Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from New York University. Tian also holds a certification in Foreign Language (&ESL) - Mandarin (7-12) from New York State and certifications in Test for English Majors and Putonghua Proficiency Test from The Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China. He is the host of MandarinPod, an advanced Chinese language learning podcast. There are 19 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,324,886 times.

To learn Mandarin Chinese, begin by learning the tones and sounds used in the language. Learn simple vocabulary and phrases, and practice reading and writing Chinese characters. Immerse yourself in the language. Practice with a native speaker, listen to Chinese podcasts or watch Chinese films, take formal courses to improve your fluency—or even travel to China and use the language on a daily basis. This article explains how to do all of this, in detail. Read on to begin your journey towards mastering Mandarin Chinese. This article is based on an interview with our language specialist, Tian Zhou, founder of Sishu Mandarin. Check out the full interview here.

Things You Should Know

• Learn tones and sounds used in Mandarin. Memorize simple vocabulary, numbers, and basic conversational phrases to improve your fluency and pronunciation.
• Study basic Mandarin grammar and use the Pinyin phonetic system to learn pronunciation. Practice reading and writing Chinese characters as well.
• Practice speaking with a native speaker, take courses, and consume Chinese media. Be patient, as it takes about 2200 hours of study to become proficient in Mandarin.

Mastering the Basics

• The first tone is a high, flat tone. Your voice stays flat, with no rise or dip in the way it sounds. Using the word "ma" as an example, the first tone is indicated using the symbol above the letter a: "mā".
• The second tone is a rising tone. Your voice rises from a low to middle pitch, as if you were asking someone to repeat something by saying "Huh?" or "What?" The second tone is indicated using the symbol "má".
• The third tone is a dipping tone. The pitch goes from middle to low to high, like when you say the letter "B". When two third-tone syllables are near each other, the second one retains its third tone sound while the first takes the sound of the second tone. The third tone is indicated using the symbol "mǎ".
• The fourth tone is a lowering tone. The pitch goes rapidly from high to low as if giving a command e.g. stop! Or as if you're reading a book and have come across something new and interesting and are saying "huh". The fourth tone is indicated using the symbol "mà".
• Listen to examples of the tones spoken by a native speaker. This will help you understand what each tone sounds like.

• "h": Almost like English "h", but a little bit throatier.
• "x": Place the tip of your tongue near where your bottom teeth meet their gums and the middle of your tongue near the roof of your mouth. Then, blow air out of your mouth. It will sound similar to "sh", but closer to "s".
• "q": Just like "x" but use a "t" sound to start it. It will sound similar to "ch", but closer to "ts".
• "j": Similar to "q", but you'll need to use voice in this one. Instead of just breathing air out, do it with sound behind it. The difference between "q" and "j" is like the difference between "s" and "z" in English.
• "r": This letter makes a different sound when it's at the beginning of a syllable versus when it's at the end. When it is at the start, it's a tricky one and may need more practice. Take the tip of your tongue and lift it up until it almost touches the roof of your mouth. The sides of your tongue should touch around your back molars on either side. Then, breathe with your voice. It should almost sound like the "s" in "vision", but closer to "r". When this letter is at the end of a syllable, it sounds just like an "r" in English.
• "ü": This letter is the sixth vowel of Chinese, and is not one found in English. However, it is relatively easy to say. First, round your lips as if you were about to say "oo", as in "food". Then, make the sound of "ee" that you hear in "bee".
• "zh": Very similar to the English "j" in "jar", but position your mouth the same way as for Mandarin "r".
• "ch": Very similar to the English "ch" in "chew", but position your mouth the same way as for Mandarin "r".
• " sh": Very similar to the English "sh", but position your mouth the same way as for Mandarin "r". The sounds "r", "zh", "ch", and "sh" are known as the "retroflex" initials because they are a sound family of a sort.

• Some good vocabulary lists to start with include: times of day (morning: zǎo shàng; 早上 , afternoon: xià wǔ; 下午 , evening: wǎn shàng; 晚上 ) body parts (head: tóu; 头 , feet: jiǎo; 脚 , hands: shǒu; 手 ) food (beef: niú ròu; 牛肉 , chicken: jī; 鸡 , egg: jī dàn; 鸡蛋 , noodles: miàn tiáo; 面条 ) along with greetings, colors, days of the week, months, transport words, weather, etc.
• When you hear a word in English, think about how you would say it in Mandarin. If you don't know what it is, jot it down and look it up later. It's handy to keep a little notebook on you for this purpose. Attach little Chinese labels (with the character, the pinyin, and the pronunciation) to items around your house, such as the mirror, the coffee table, and the sugar bowl. You'll see the words so often that you'll learn them without realizing it!
• Although having a wide vocabulary is good, remember that in Mandarin, accuracy is more important. It's no good learning a word if you can't pronounce it properly, using the correct tone, as different pronunciations could have entirely different meanings. For example, using the wrong tone (using mā instead of má ) could be the difference between saying "I want cake" and "I want coke" - two completely different meanings.

When asked, “How long does it take to learn basic Mandarin?”

Godspeed Chen

Godspeed Chen, a Chinese translator, responded: “It might take you one or two weeks to learn some useful expressions. Becoming fluent can take one or more years .”

• One: written as (一) or yī , pronounced [eee]
• Two: written as (二) or èr , pronounced [err]
• Three: written as (三) or sān , pronounced [saan]
• Four: written as (四) or sì , pronounced [ssuh]
• Five: written as (五) or wǔ , pronounced [oo]
• Six: written as (六) or liù , pronounced [lee-yoe]
• Seven: written as (七) or qī , pronounced [chi]
• Eight: written as (八) or bā , pronounced [baa]
• Nine: written as (九) or jiǔ , pronounced [jee-yoe]
• Ten: written as (十) or shí , pronounced [sh]
• Once you have mastered numbers one to ten, continue counting in double digits by saying the number in the tens' position, then the word 十 , followed by the number in the one's position. For example:
• The number 48 is written as sì shí bā (四十八), literally meaning "four tens plus eight". The number 30 is written as sān shí (三十), literally meaning "three tens". The number 19 is written as yī shí jiǔ (一十九), literally meaning "one ten plus nine" (however in most Mandarin dialects the initial yī is omitted from numbers in the teens, as it is deemed unnecessary).
• The word for hundred in Mandarin is (百) or baǐ , so 100 is written as yì baǐ , 200 is written as èr baǐ , 300 is written as sān baǐ , etc.

• Hello - 你好- nǐhǎo, pronounced [nee how]
• What is your last name(surname)? ( formal )- 您贵姓? - nín guì xìng, pronounced [neen gway shing]
• or 你姓什么？- nǐ xìng shén me ( inf. ), pronounced [nee shing shurn muh]
• What's your name? - 你叫什么名字? - nǐ jiào shén me míng zì, pronounced [nee jee-ou shurn muh ming zi] [8] X Research source
• Yes - 是 - shì, pronounced [sh]
• No - 不是 - bú shì, pronounced [boo sh]
• Thank you - 谢谢 - xiè xiè, pronounced [shie shie]
• You're welcome - 不用谢 - bú yòng xiè, pronounced [boo yong shee-e]
• Excuse me - 对不起 - duì bu qǐ, pronounced [dway boo chee]
• I don't understand - 我不懂 - wǒ bù dǒng, pronounced [wuo boo downg]
• Goodbye - 再见 - zài jiàn, pronounced [zay jee-en]

Advancing Your Language Skills

• For instance, in Chinese, there are no complicated rules about conjugations, agreement, gender, plural nouns, or tenses. Most words consist of single syllables which are then combined to make compound words. This makes sentence construction fairly straightforward.
• However, Mandarin Chinese has other grammar rules that are not found in English or other Indo-European languages. For example, Mandarin uses grammatical features such as classifiers, topic-prominence, and preference for aspect. As these features are not used in English, they can be quite difficult for learners to grasp.
• However, despite the differences, Mandarin usually uses the same word order as English: subject - verb - object. This makes it possible to translate between the languages word-for-word. For example, the English phrase "he likes cats" is translated directly as "tā (he) xǐ huan (likes) māo (cats).

• Pinyin allows students of Mandarin to focus on their pronunciation, while also enabling them to read and write, without needing to learn complex Chinese characters. Although Pinyin uses the Roman alphabet, the pronunciation of its letters is often not intuitive to English speakers, which is why it must be studied carefully before it can be used.
• For example, the letter "c" in Pinyin is pronounced like the "ts" in the word "bits", the letter "e" is pronounced like the "er" in the word "hers" and the letter "q" is pronounced like the "ch" in the word "cheap". Due to these differences, it’s important to learn the correct Pinyin pronunciations before using it as a guide.
• Although learning Pinyin pronunciations may seem like a pain, it can be extremely beneficial to your language learning and is still significantly easier than learning to recognize the traditional Chinese characters.

Tip: Keep in mind that the tone (symbol) above each letter should be placed on top of a vowel that is first in the alphabet. This means that it’s “hǎo” and not “haǒ.”

• According to the BBC, there are over 50,000 Chinese characters in existence, however, most of these are rarely, if ever, used. An educated Chinese person will probably know about 8000 characters, but only about 2000 of these are necessary to read a newspaper. [12] X Research source
• Familiarize yourself with the 214 "radicals.” These are specific symbols that come together to form all Chinese characters. Some radicals can stand on their own as independent characters, while others are used only within more complex characters.
• Always follow the correct stroke order when writing the characters. There are specific rules to follow, such as left to right, top to bottom, and horizontal before vertical, depending on the character.
• There are many Chinese workbooks available that teach you how to write characters. These are usually intended for schoolchildren, but are useful to anyone attempting to learn Chinese characters. IBuy one which is designed for English speakers. For example, 快乐汉语 from Hanban has an English translation.

Immersing Yourself in the Language

• If you have a Mandarin-speaking friend, ask if they are willing to practice speaking with you. Otherwise, search online for Mandarin conversation groups in your area.
• If you can't locate any Mandarin speakers nearby, search online for language exchange programs with Mandarin speakers who are learning English. Some may be willing to exchange 15 minutes of Mandarin conversation for 15 minutes of English.
• Join [ QQ , a chat service that is very popular in China featuring many language learning groups/rooms. Most members are native Chinese speakers learning English.

• Check for Mandarin courses at a local college, university, school, or community center.
• If you are currently enrolled at a college or university, take a Mandarin course at your institution.

• Pause the video after a simple sentence and repeat what has just been said. This will lend your Chinese accent an air of authenticity!
• Check your local library for Chinese films, or ask if they’re able to obtain some for you.

• Get a Mandarin Chinese radio app on your phone and listen to it on the go.
• Download Chinese podcasts to listen to while exercising or doing housework.

• Study abroad in China if you are currently enrolled in a college or university. This allows you to study Mandarin in China while earning credit towards your degree. [17] X Research source
• Participate in an international exchange program, such as Rotary International, which allows students to live with a host family in China for up to a year. You’ll need permission from a parent or guardian if you’re under 18. [18] X Research source

Our Expert Agrees: The best way to learn Mandarin, like most other languages, is full immersion. Living in or visiting China will help you learn Mandarin much faster.

• 2200 hours is the estimate for reaching “General Professional Proficiency,” according to the U.S. State Department, which provides foreign language training to U.S. diplomats.
• This means it takes roughly 2200 hours of study to be able to speak Mandarin in formal situations, such as with coworkers, but you won’t necessarily be completely fluent.

Reader Videos

• If possible, taking at least an introductory course on Mandarin at your school or local college can be an excellent way to be confident and accurate in your pronunciation and tones. Getting the basics down can help you have a good springboard for further studies on your own. Make sure the course is conducted in Mandarin and not in English. English teachers who go to teach in China are expected to speak in English, not Chinese. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• By and large, Chinese people are very proud of their culture, and enjoy helping people learn their language. Don't be afraid to ask for help or practice with a native speaker. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Persistence is key! If you think you know a lot, be sure not to just stop reviewing and studying it, you will forget what you have learned. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• Try to speak with native Mandarin speakers to practice the language, and don't get discouraged if they don't understand you right away. Keep a growth mindset and keep practicing no matter what!
• Try watching TV dramas that are made in Mandarin. Start by watching with subtitles, then try without once you know the characters better and improve your understanding of Mandarin.
• Chinese characters can be remembered by using mnemonics. For example, 人(rén, person) looks like a person walking!

• If you learn something offensive, you should only say it jokingly and not seriously as some Chinese curses can be very strong. Thanks Helpful 68 Not Helpful 28

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Tian Zhou. Language Specialist. Expert Interview. 19 March 2021.
• ↑ https://www.ucl.ac.uk/atlas/mandarin/four-tones.html
• ↑ https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/res-21g-003-learning-chinese-a-foundation-course-in-mandarin-spring-2011/01af9a25b804b7d58a26fa580691df4f_MITRES_21G_003S11_pinyin.pdf
• ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zk76ncw/articles/zkpj2sg
• ↑ https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/basic-mandarin-chinese-words-phrases
• ↑ http://www.freechineselessons.com/lessons/beginner/lesson-two-what-is-your-name/
• ↑ https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:rx915j987/fulltext.pdf
• ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/chinese/real_chinese/mini_guides/characters/characters_howmany.shtml
• ↑ https://meet.nyu.edu/advice/mandarin-beginners/
• ↑ https://youtu.be/_f7AkEdmqpI?si=43BF03UCOJQVWyeu&t=228
• ↑ https://youtu.be/_f7AkEdmqpI?si=qDL0JVFu9lDUkOLx&t=211V
• ↑ https://www.brandeis.edu/grall/chinese/undergraduate/abroad.html
• ↑ https://www.rotarychina.org
• ↑ https://www.state.gov/foreign-language-training/
• Wikipedia article on Mandarin Chinese
• http://mandarin.about.com/od/educationlearning/tp/learn_by_step.htm
• http://www.omniglot.com/chinese/mandarin.htm
• https://wikitravel.org/en/Chinese_phrasebook
• http://www.tour-beijing.com/beijing_travel/Chinese_Phrases_for_travelers.php#8

About This Article

If you want to learn Mandarin Chinese, start by practicing the 4 Mandarin tones, which are ways of changing your voice to say the same word in different ways to mean different things. Start building your vocabulary by memorizing and saying out loud common words, like greetings and food names. Try learning to count to 10, which actually lets you count to 99 since number vocabulary in Mandarin is repetitive! Finally, learn some basic phrases, like "please" and “thank you.” For more suggestions on how to learn Mandarin Chinese, including moving past the basics and immersing yourself in the language, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Translation of assign – English–Mandarin Chinese dictionary

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assign verb [T] ( CHOOSE )

• Every available officer will be assigned to the investigation .
• The textbooks were assigned by the course director .
• Part of the group were assigned to clear land mines .
• Each trainee is assigned a mentor who will help them learn more about the job .
• We were assigned an interpreter for the duration of our stay .

assign verb [T] ( SEND )

• She was assigned to the Paris office .
• All the team were assigned to Poland.

assign verb [T] ( COMPUTING )

Assign verb [t] ( give legally ), phrasal verb.

(Translation of assign from the Cambridge English-Chinese (Simplified) Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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kept secret from people

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The Chinese Grammar Structures List for Beginners: 13 Patterns to Get You Started

Basic Chinese sentence structure follows the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) pattern.

For example, we say 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ) — I love you in Chinese with the same sentence structure we would in English.

Although basic Chinese grammar is often described as simple because of this, there’s a lot of emphasis on word order (and using the right particles ).

In this post, you’ll learn 13 grammar structures that will help you build more complex sentences than SVO structures and sound more natural.

Common Chinese Grammar Structures for 的 (de) vs. 得 (de) vs. 地 (de)

1. noun + 的 + noun, 2. attribute + 的 + noun, 3. verb + 得 + state, 4. adj + 地 + verb, 5. adj + 地 + adj, common chinese grammar patterns for 吗 (ma) vs. 吧 (ba) vs. 呢 (ne), 6. clause + 吗, 7. clause + 吧, 8. clause + 呢, common chinese grammar patterns for 会 (huì) vs. 能 (néng), 9. 会 + verb, 10. 能 + verb, common chinese grammar patterns for 想 (xiǎng) vs. 觉得 (jué de), 11. 想 + verb, 12. 觉得 + verb.

• Common Chinese Grammar Patterns for 了 (le)

13. Verb + 了

Resources for more mandarin chinese grammar structures, and one more thing....

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They even sound the same! How can words be so similar, without meaning the same thing?

It boils down to these main differences :

• 的 is used with nouns to indicate possession or attach an adjective to a noun.
• 得 appears after verbs to describe the degree to which the action is done.
• 地 appears after   adjectives and turns them into adverbs.

Possessive words (like my, your, her, his, our, their ) don’t directly translate into one word in Chinese.

Instead, you add 的 to the end of the pronoun.

For example, 我 (wǒ) means “I” on its own, but you can make it possessive by adding 的.

我 的 书 (wǒ de shū.) my book

When 的 is used between an attribute and a noun, it gives the noun the attribute (or attaches an adjective to the noun).

漂亮 的 老师 (piào liang de lǎoshī.) pretty teacher

The particle 得 is used after a verb and indicates effect, degree, possibility, etc.

飞得快 (fēi de kuài.) to fly quickly

The particle 地 is mainly used as an adverb, like “-ly” in English. It’s used between an adjective and a verb.

For example:

慢慢地走 (màn màn de zǒu.) to walk slowly

地 can also be used to modify an adjective.

特别 地 珍贵 (tè bié de zhēn guì.) Particular ly precious

So maybe your mind was blown when you first heard about question words —words that convert sentences into questions when they’re placed at the end of a sentence.

Now you have more question words than you know what to do with.

How should you distinguish between them?

• 吗 is for yes-no questions.
• 吧 is for making suggestions or requests.
• 呢 is for shifting the conversation to another topic or the other person.

It might be helpful to think of this as the equivalent of a question mark.

The answer to a 吗 question will always be yes or no (or to be more precise, confirm or negate the verb).

你会说中文 吗？ (nǐ huì shuō zhōng wén ma? ) Can you speak Chinese ?

Unlike 吗 or 呢, 吧 doesn’t always indicate a question.

It’s commonly used when making a suggestion or request. Much like “how about…” or “let’s…” in English.

However, you can also add it to the end of a statement, and it suggests that you’re seeking confirmation.

我们出去吃饭 吧 。 (wǒ men chū qù chī fàn ba .) How about we go eat? / Let’s go eat.

呢 is a great way to shift the conversation to another topic or the other person.

Unlike 吗, answers to a 呢 question don’t have to be a simple “yes” or “no” and can be more open-ended. The English equivalent is “and…” or “and what about…”

我过得很好，你 呢 ？ (wǒ guò de hěn hǎo, nǐ ne ?) I‘ve been well, and you ?

So 会 and 能 both mean “can,” but here’s how they’re different : 

• 会 is for learned knowledge or the future.
• 能 is for physical ability  and for indicating permission. 

会 most commonly means “can” or “able to,” specifically for learned knowledge. Use it for acquired skills, not abilities that you were born with.

他 会 做饭。 (tā huì zuò fàn.) He can cook.

会 is also often used to indicate a future action, like “will” in English.

你 会 去吗？ (nǐ huì qù ma?) Will you go?

In many cases, 能 is very similar to 可以 (kě yǐ) , which you can see in the examples below.

Use 能 to indicate that you’re physically able to do something or complete a task.

你 能 帮我一个忙吗？ (nǐ néng bāng wǒ yí gè máng ma?) Can you do me a favor?

Unlike 会, 能 can also mean “be allowed to” or “do.” 

在室内不 能 抽烟 (zài shì nèi bù néng chōu yān) Do not smoke indoors

想 and 觉得 both mean to think or feel, so what’s the difference?

• 想 is most commonly used to express that you want to do something casually.
• 觉得 is mainly used to express your opinion about something.

Use 想 when you feel like doing something.

我 想 吃东西。 (wǒ xiǎng chī dōng xi.) I want to eat something. / I feel like eating something.

Use 觉得 when you’re expressing your opinion about something.

我 觉得 很好吃。 (wǒ jué de hěn hǎo chī.) I think it tastes good.

Common Chinese Grammar Patterns for 了 ( le )

Finally, we’re at 了 , which might seem a little frustrating at first but is actually pretty simple once you understand the logic behind the grammar pattern.

了 is used to indicate the completion of an action or a change of circumstances.

了 is mainly used in two situations.

First, it’s placed after a verb (or occasionally adjective) to indicate the completion of an action.

Usually, 了 indicates the past tense, but some instances indicate the expected completion of an action. In that case, it’s not necessarily past tense.

In English, it would be the equivalent of “when/after an action is finished.”

我吃 了 饭以后要出去。 (wǒ chī le fàn yǐ hòu yào chū qù.) After I’m done eating, I want to go out.

Other than signaling the completion of a specific verb, 了 is also used to indicate a change of state or circumstance, also placed at the end of the sentence.

我饿 了 。 (wǒ è le .) I’m hungry. (I wasn’t hungry before, but now I am.)

This post is just the tip of the iceberg regarding Chinese grammar. Practice is key to internalizing this list and other grammar concepts.

Here are my favorite resources:

• Chinese Grammar Wiki : This is by the one and only John Pasden and his consultancy, All Set Learning. 1,645 articles, carefully written and constantly growing. There are also books and courses available for purchase.
• FluentU Chinese : This is our web- and app-based language program with a vast collection of Chinese media clips.
• Chinese Grammar : This app is by Ninchanese and is specifically designed to address all grammar-related issues for every learning level. The lessons are available offline, making learning without an internet connection easier.

The sooner you start practicing, the better!

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The Complete Guide to Saying “What” in Mandarin Chinese

Asking “what” in Mandarin Chinese is one of the most common and important phrases for beginner learners. Knowing how to ask simple questions is key to having basic conversations and getting information. In this comprehensive guide, we will explain everything you need to know about saying “what” in Mandarin, from pronunciation to spelling, context, and more.

Table of Contents

The Basics of Saying “What”

The most common word for “what” in Mandarin is “shénme” (什么). It is pronounced more like “shummuh” with a falling tone. Here’s a quick primer on saying “shénme”:

Pronunciation: “shummuh” with a falling tone on the second syllable. Say it quickly, almost as one syllable.

Characters: 什么 – The first character means “what” and the second means “some.”

Usage: Place “shénme” at the end of the sentence to ask “What is…” questions. For example:

• Zhè shì shénme? – What is this?
• Nǐ shì shéi – Who are you? (Literally “You are what person”)

Responses: Answers will start with the object in question. For example:

• Zhè shì bǐ. – This is a pen.
• Wǒ shì Mǎlì. – I am Mary.

So the basic formula is: Ask a question with “shénme” at the end, get an answer stating the subject first.

Spelling and Romanization

In Pinyin romanization, “shénme” is written as shen2me. The number 2 indicates the falling tone. Here are some other common romanizations:

• Shen mo (broken into two syllables)

When writing online, Chinese speakers may type “sm” as shorthand for “shénme.”

The first character 什 can also be written with a simplified character that looks similar: 甚. So you may also see it spelled as 甚么.

Additional Ways to Say “What”

While “shénme” is the most common and useful, there are some other question words in Mandarin that can be translated as “what” in English:

• Nǎ (哪) – Which one. For example, “Nǎ ge?” (哪个 – “Which one?”)
• Nǎr (哪儿) – Where. For example, “Nǎr?” (哪儿?- “Where?”)
• Shuí (谁) – Who. For example, “Nǐ shì shuí?” (你是谁?- “Who are you?”)
• Zěnme (怎么) – How/Why. For example, “Nǐ zěnme le?” (你怎么了? – “What’s wrong?” or “What happened?”)
• Shéi (谁) – Who. For example, “Zhè shì shéi de fángzi?” (这是谁的房子?- “Whose house is this?”)

So in summary, while “shénme” can cover most situations, these additional question words can help add specificity or context.

Using “What” in Different Contexts and Sentences

Now that you know the basic word for “what” in Mandarin, let’s look at how to use it in real conversations:

• Introductions – “Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?” (你叫什么名字?- “What is your name?”)
• Clarification – “Shénme? Wǒ méiyǒu tīng dǒng.” (什么?我没有听懂。- “What? I didn’t understand.”)
• Offers – “Nǐ xiǎng yào shénme?” (你想要什么?- “What would you like?”)
• Making a selection – “Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme?” (你想吃什么?- “What do you want to eat?”)
• Asking for an explanation – “Shénme shì…?” (什么是…?- “What is…?”)
• Expressing confusion – “Shénme wèntí?” (什么问题?- “What’s the problem?”)
• Finding something – “Qù nǎr zhǎo, shénme dōu méiyǒu.” (去哪儿找, 什么都没有。- “I looked everywhere, there’s nothing.”)

So in daily conversations, “shénme” can be used to ask for information, clarify what someone said, make offers, ask for explanations, and more. Listen for it when native speakers are chatting or in language learning dialogues.

Extra Grammar Tips

Here are some additional grammar tips to perfect using “what” in Mandarin:

• Add the particle “ne” at the end to soften the tone. For example, “Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì ne?”
• To ask “what kind,” add “yàng de” (样的). For example, “Nǐ xǐhuān chī shénme yàng de fàn?” (你喜欢吃什么样的饭?- “What kind of food do you like to eat?”)
• Use “shénme dōu” to say “anything.” For example, “Wǒ shénme dōu bù xiǎng chī” (我什么都不想吃 – “I don’t want to eat anything.”)
• For “what time,” ask “Jǐ diǎn zhōng?” (几点钟?- “What time?”)
• You can leave out “shénme” and just say the verb to say “what are you doing.” For example, “Zuò shénme?” (做什么?- “What are you doing?”)

Practicing “What” Conversationally

As with any new phrase, practice using “shénme” in real conversations as much as possible. Here are some ideas:

• With a language partner, take turns asking “What is this?” in Mandarin while holding up various objects.
• Roleplay introductions and ask “What is your name?”
• Practice clarifying by saying “What? I don’t understand” when your partner says something unfamiliar.
• Have a simple conversation asking questions like “What did you eat today?” “What do you want to do tonight?”
• Play guessing games asking “What am I?” and describing yourself. Have your partner ask “What?”
• Watch Chinese TV shows and listen for the phrase “shénme.” Pause and repeat each time you hear it.

The more you can use it conversationally, the more natural your pronunciation and usage will become.

So in summary, learning the all-important “What?” in Mandarin Chinese is pretty straightforward with “shénme” (什么). Master the pronunciation, grammar, and usage of this fundamental question word, and you’ll be asking for clarification and information like a native speaker in no time. From introductions to discussions and everything in between, no conversation in Mandarin is complete without the versatile “Shénme?”

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related reading: How long does it to take to learn mandarin chinese ?

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