什么样 (shén me yàng) — what kind, what sort | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A question-word phrase meaning 'what kind / what sort', used before a noun (often followed by 的) to ask about type or characteristic.

pronoun

what kindwhat sort

Examples

什么样？
Nǐ xiǎng mǎi shén me yàng de shū?
What kind of books do you want to buy?
什么样。
shén me yàng De qíng kuàng wǒ men dōu yào kǎo lǜ.
We have to consider what kind of situation it is.
什么样？
Nǐ yù dào guò shén me yàng de wèn tí?
What kind of problems have you encountered?

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

什么what

“什么” asks what and “样” means kind, so the whole asks what kind.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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.

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 樣; 样 is its simplified writing.

木羕樣

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùwood

Sound part声符shēngfú

羕

羕yàng樣yàng

Same sound today

For 样, the traditional form 樣 pairs 木 (wood) with 羕 as a sound part.

Appears in

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