Asking questions in Mandarin hinges on choosing the right question word for the information you want: shénme 什么 asks for a thing or definition, while nǎr 哪儿 points to a place. This short guide shows when to use each with natural examples.
Shénme 什么
Use shénme 什么 to ask about an object, category, reason, or definition. It can appear in questions about things you can name, describe, or select. Shénme 什么 is flexible and commonly used for introductions and clarifications.
Examples
| Hanzi Sentence | Pinyin Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥢 这是什么？ | Zhè shì shénme? | What is this? | |
| 🍜 你吃的是什么？ | Nǐ chī de shì shénme? | What are you eating? | |
| 🧴 瓶子里装的是什么？ | Píngzi lǐ zhuāng de shì shénme? | What is in the bottle? | |
| 📝 黑板上写的是什么？ | Hēibǎn shàng xiě de shì shénme? | What is written on the blackboard? |
Phrases
| Hanzi Phrase | Pinyin Phrase | English Phrase | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🆓 我不知道这是什么。 | Wǒ bù zhīdào zhè shì shénme. | I don’t know what this is. | |
| 👍 这是我最喜欢的东西！ | Zhè shì wǒ zuì xǐhuān de dōngxi! | This is my favorite thing! | |
| ❓ 你能告诉我这是什么吗？ | Nǐ néng gàosu wǒ zhè shì shénme ma? | Can you tell me what this is? | |
| 💡 这是用来学习的东西。 | Zhè shì yòng lái xuéxí de dōngxi. | This is something used for studying. |
Quiz: Using shénme 什么
Nǎr 哪儿
Use nǎr 哪儿 to ask about a location, direction, or place where something happens. It prompts an answer that names a site, address, or general area. Nǎr 哪儿 is used for physical places and sometimes metaphorical locations.
Examples
| Hanzi Sentence | Pinyin Sentence | English Sentence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏠 厕所在哪儿？ | Cèsuǒ zài nǎr? | Where is the bathroom? | |
| 🗺️ 地铁站在哪儿？ | Dìtiě zhàn zài nǎr? | Where is the subway station? | |
| 🧳 行李寄存在哪儿？ | Xínglǐ jìcún zài nǎr? | Where is the luggage storage? | |
| 🍽️ 你常去的餐馆在哪儿？ | Nǐ cháng qù de cānguǎn zài nǎr? | Where is the restaurant you often go to? |
Phrases
| Hanzi Phrase | Pinyin Phrase | English Phrase | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🔍 我正在找一个地方，在哪儿？ | Wǒ zhèngzài zhǎo yí gè dìfang, zài nǎr? | I’m looking for a place, where is it? | |
| 🧭 请告诉我怎么走。 | Qǐng gàosu wǒ zěnme zǒu. | Please tell me how to get there. | |
| 📍 附近有四星级酒店吗？ | Fùjìn yǒu sì xīng jí jiǔdiàn ma? | Is there a four-star hotel nearby? | |
| 🛎️ 接待处在哪儿？ | Jiēdài chù zài nǎr? | Where is the reception desk? |
Quiz: Using nǎr 哪儿
Related Question Words
Mandarin has other question words for time, people, manner, and more. Learning a few key ones helps you ask precise questions beyond just shénme 什么 and nǎr 哪儿.
Time: shénme shíhòu 什么时候
Place: nǎlǐ 哪里
Person: shéi 谁
Manner: zěnme 怎么
Quiz: Related Question Words
Tips
Think about whether you want an object or a place when choosing between shénme 什么 and nǎr 哪儿. In spoken Mandarin, nǎlǐ 哪里 is also common for place questions. Practice with real contexts helps make the distinctions natural.
Quiz: Practice Choosing shénme vs nǎr
Summary
Use shénme 什么 to ask about things, definitions, or categories, and use nǎr 哪儿 to ask about places or locations. Keep a few related question words in mind to expand your questioning ability in Mandarin.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025