Meaning
(interrog. part.); (interrog. suff.); one on dice; small
Chinese: 常用于疑问或语气词中。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “ma” becomes a different word in each tone. 么 is the 5. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Note: 么 itself is the neutral (light) tone — short and unstressed.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 什么shén mewhat?; something; anything
- 怎么zěn mehow?; what?; why?
- 怎么样zěn me yànghow?; how about?; how was it?; how are things?
- 没什么méi shén meit doesn't matter; it's nothing; never mind; think nothing of it
- 干什么gàn shén mewhat are you doing?; what's he up to?
Example Sentence
你想吃什么？Nǐ xiǎng chī shén me?What do you want to eat?
你Nǐyou想xiǎngto think (about)吃chīto eat什么shén mewhat？
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
Simplified from 麼. It is an unstressed suffix particle that forms question and demonstrative words — 什么 (what), 怎么 (how), 那么 (so/in that way), 多么 (how…).
A way to remember it
The tail of 什么 / 怎么 / 那么.