Definition
干什么 is a colloquial verb phrase used to ask what someone is doing or what the purpose of an action is. It can be neutral in tone, but often carries a flavor of surprise, impatience, or rhetorical challenge — similar to 'What are you doing?!' or 'What's the point?' in English. It is commonly used in everyday speech and can be softened with 呢 or made more emphatic with intonation.
v
(verb phrase) to be doing whatwhat (is someone) doing?(verb phrase, rhetorical) what's the pointwhy are you doing that?
Examples
- 干什么？Nǐ zài gàn shén me ne?What are you doing?
- 干什么？！Nǐ gàn shén me ne? Hái bú kuài zǒu!What are you doing? Hurry up and go!
- 干什么？Nǐ gàn shén me yào zhème duō?What do you want so many for?
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