(ne) - and what about...? (question particle) in Mandarin
neTraditional: 呢
Translation
and what about...? (question particle)
Word origin
呢 (ne) is a sentence-final question particle, a phono-semantic compound of the 口 (mouth) radical, marking it as a spoken particle, plus 尼 (ní) as the phonetic.
- Origin
- phono-semantic compound
- Root
- 口 (mouth, meaning) + 尼 (ní, phonetic)
Stroke order
呢
Examples
，？
I am fine, what about you?
？
How is it that he still has not come?
？
Where is she?
，？
And you, are you going?
？
Where are my keys?
Where this fits
Used in
Stories
(6)Grammar articles
(7)Mandarin Advanced Grammar (C1-C2 / HSK 6+): Chengyu, Classical Remnants, and Register
Mandarin Aspect Markers: 了, 在/正在, 过 - the System That Replaces Tense
Mandarin Question Formation: 吗, V-Not-V, 还是, and the In-Situ Wh-Word System
Mandarin Rhetorical Questions: 难道, 不是...吗, 何必 and 岂不
Mandarin Sentence-Final Particles: 吧, 呢, 啊, 嘛, 吗 and the Final 了
Topic-Comment Structure in Mandarin: Fronting 这本书我看过 and Why Word Order Bends
Yes-No Questions in Mandarin: 吗 (ma), Echo Answers, and the Bounce-Back 呢 (ne)
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呢: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "呢" (and what about...? (question particle)): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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