shénme 什么 vs nǎr 哪儿 – what vs where
In Mandarin, choosing between shénme 什么 and nǎr 哪儿 hinges on whether you want to ask about an thing, a place, or sometimes a part of a place. This short guide shows you their uses with quick examples.
shénme 什么
Use shénme 什么 to ask about things, categories, reasons, time, manner, and sometimes when you want information rather than a location. It can appear in questions about objects, actions, or general details.
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nǎr 哪儿
Use nǎr 哪儿 to ask about places or locations. It asks for a specific spot, whether physical or sometimes figurative, and appears when you want to know where someone is, where something happened, or where to go.
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Usage
shénme 什么 asks for a thing or information, while nǎr 哪儿 asks for a place. Choose based on whether the answer should be an object, a fact, or a location.
| Hanzi Example | Pinyin Example | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 🐉 Nín huò shénme cài? | 您货什么菜？ | What kind of dishes do you sell? |
| 🧭 Qǐngwèn shāngdiàn zài nǎr? | 请问商店在哪儿？ | Excuse me, where is the shop? |
| 🍵 Wǒ xiǎng chī shénme tècān. | 我想吃什么特餐。 | I want to eat some special set meal. |
| 🗺️ Mǎlǎo shì nǎr de càihuì? | 马老市哪儿的菜摊？ | Where is the food stall in the Old Town? |
| 🧾 Qǐng gěi wǒ cài dān, wǒ bù zhīdào shénme hǎo. | 请给我菜单，我不知道什么好。 | Please give me the menu, I don’t know what’s good. |
| 🏮 Nà jiā mèn shì zhèngqián nǎr ma? | 那家门是正前哪儿吗？ | Is that shop straight ahead where? |
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Summary
Remember: use shénme 什么 for "what" questions about things and information, and use nǎr 哪儿 for "where" questions about places. Switching them changes the meaning of the question.
Last updated: Tue Sep 16, 2025