么 麼 me

Examples of two frequently used compound words:

• 什么 (shěn me) Something - in a form of enquiry but not always

  • 什么? (shěn me) What?
  • 这是什么? (zhè shi shěn me) What is this? or What are these? Literal. This is what? or These are what?
  • 那是什么? (nà shi shěn me) What is that? or What are those? Literal. That is what? or Those are what?
  • 什么东西? (shěn me dōng xi)? What is this/that? Literal. What thing?
  • 什么时候? (shěn me shí hòu) When? Literal. What time?
  • 什么人? (shěn me rén) Who? Literal. What person?
  • 什么地方? (shěn me dì fāng) Where? Literal. What place?
  • 为什么? (wèi shěn me) Why? Literal. Because of What?
  • 我们吃什么? (wǒ men chī shěn me) What are we going to eat? Literal. We eat What?
  • 没什么 (méi shěn me) It's nothing Literal. No something

• 怎么 (zěn me) ...? How ...? - always in a form of enquiry

  • 怎么样? (zěn me yàng) How (does it appear)? – often shorten to 怎样? Literal. How is the form?
  • 怎么吃? (zěn me chī) How to eat?
  • 怎么去? (zěn me qù) How to go?
  • 怎么回家? (zěn me húi jiā) How to return home?
  • 怎么可能? (zěn me kě néng) How is that possible?