This is part two of our post about the most common Chinese question words. We already covered five in part one, here are five more to go Where – 哪里 The Chinese question word for “where” is 哪里 (nǎ lǐ). Stemming from our previous discussion on 哪, by adding 里 (lǐ) to it, we get the translation for “where.” Unlike English, 哪里 typically isn’t placed at the start of a question in Chinese. Example: Where are you going? 你去哪里？(nǐ qù nǎlǐ) Who – 谁 For asking “who” in Chinese, we have the word 谁, pronounced as either “shéi”. The placement of 谁 in questions follows patterns similar to the other question-words we’ve discussed, like 哪个 (which one), 哪里 (where), and 什么 (what). Example: Who is that person? 那个人是谁？(nà ge rén shì shéi) How – 怎么 The word for “how” in Chinese is 怎么 (zěnme). While it may seem straightforward, it’s not always a direct translation of “how” from English. Often, 怎么 is used to inquire about the method or means of doing something. Common phrases include 怎么说 (how to say), 怎么用 (how to use), and 怎么去 (how to go). When asking someone’s opinion or feelings about something, the term 怎么样 (zěnme yàng) is employed. Here, 样 (yàng) refers to “manner” or “style,” making the question about “how things are” or “how something is.” Example: How to say this in Chinese? 这个中文怎么说？(zhè ge zhōngwén zěnme shuō) How Often – 多常 The appropriate term for “how often” is 多常 (duō cháng), which literally translates to “many often.” In the same vein, you’d use 多久 (duō jiǔ) for “how long,” meaning “many long.” It’s essential to remember that these phrases don’t correlate directly to 怎么. Example: How often do you go abroad? 你多常出国？(nǐ duōcháng chū guó) How many/How much – 多少 When it comes to the English term “how many” or “how much,” the actual translation is 多少 (duō shǎo; many + few/little). Another interesting word to consider is 几 (jǐ), which can also mean “how many.” However, 几 is typically used when the expected number is under 10. Example: How many people are there in your company? 你们公司有多少人？(nǐmen gōngsī yǒu duōshǎo rén) |
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