么 (ma) — (question particle, informal) same as 吗, used to mark yes-no questions at the end of a sentence
Definition
吗 is the standard question particle; 么 is a casual, informal variant — sound the same (ma) and interchangeable in speech, but rarely seen in writing. Use 吗 unless you want a colloquial tone.
particle
(question particle, informal) same as 吗used to mark yes-no questions at the end of a sentence
Examples
- 么?Nǐ chī fàn ma?Have you eaten?
- 么?Tā lái le ma?Has he come?
- 么?Zhè shì nǐ de shū ma?Is this your book?
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.