甚么 (shén me) — what? (variant of 什么)

Definition

甚么 (shén) is a formal, mostly written variant of 什么, used in classical or literary style rather than everyday speech.

pronoun

what? (variant of 什么)

Easily confused

甚么？
Nǐ zài zhǎo shén me?
What are you looking for?
甚么？
Cǐ shì yǒu shén me jià zhí?
What value does this matter have?
“”甚么？
Suǒ wèi "xìng fú" dào dǐ shì shén me?
What exactly is so-called 'happiness'?

Single-morpheme word

构词法gòucífǎ

联绵liánmiánBound pair

Two characters that only ever appear together, spelling one ancient two-syllable word.

甚 and 么 together form the question word for what; neither character contributes its usual meaning.

Sound-only characters

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

甚 combines 甘 and 匕. The evidence gives no meaning for either part.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 麼; 么 is its simplified writing.

麻幺麼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

幺幺yāosmall, tiny

Sound part声符shēngfú

麻

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 麼 pairs 麻, which gives the sound, with 幺, which means small/tiny; the simplified 么 is a later shorthand.