Updated on December 27, 2022
Asking questions is very important in any language. If you are learning a language, it’s kind of a must to learn asking questions. Do you know how to ask questions in Mandarin Chinese? Well, there are numerous ways to ask questions in Mandarin Chinese.
Welcome to Ming Mandarin’s free online Mandarin Chinese lessons. In this lesson, let’s learn 10 characters & words to ask questions in Chinese.
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10 Chinese Question Characters & Words
Chinese Question Character #1: 吗 (ma)
A very simple way to ask a question is to add 吗 (ma) at the end of a sentence. Look at the following two sentences, you’ll get it.
Example 1:
- She likes to dance to this song.
- Tā xǐhuān tiào zhè zhī wǔ.
- 她喜欢跳这支舞。
Example 2:
- Does she like to dance to this song?
- Tā xǐhuān tiào zhè zhī wǔ ma?
- 她喜欢跳这支舞吗？
Chinese Question Character #2: Who (谁, shéi)
Example 1:
- Who is she?
- Tā shì shéi?
- 她是谁？
Example 2:
- Who wants to go to the park with me?
- Shéi xiǎng hé wǒ yīqǐ qù gōngyuán?
- 谁想和我一起去公园？
- Lesson 1 (Level 1): Common Mandarin Chinese Verbs with Examples
- Lesson 1 (Level 2): How To Say “To Think” With 以为 In Chinese?
- Lesson 1 (Level 3): Learn Must Know Famous Chinese Idioms
- Lesson 1 (Level 4): 2 Must Know Famous Ancient Chinese Poems
- Lesson 1 (Level 5): Chinese Reading Practice with Pinyin & English
#3: What (什么, shén me)
Example 1:
- What would you like to buy?
- Nǐ xiǎng mǎidiǎn er shénme?
- 你想买点儿什么？
Example 2:
- What would you like to eat?
- Nǐ xiǎng chī diǎn er shénme?
- 你想吃点儿什么？
#4: Where (哪里, nǎ lǐ)
Example 1:
- Where are you?
- Nǐ zài nǎ lǐ?
- 你在哪里？
Example 2:
- Where is the supermarket?
- Chāoshì zài nǎ’er?
- 超市在哪儿？
#5: Which (哪个, nǎ ge)
Example 1:
- Which drink is yours?
- Nǎge yǐnliào shì nǐ de?
- 哪个饮料是你的？
Example 2:
- Which cell phone is better?
- Nǎge shǒujī bǐjiào hǎo?
- 哪个手机比较好？
#6: When (什么时候, shénme shíhou)
Example 1:
- When are you coming home?
- Nǐ shénme shíhòu huí jiā?
- 你什么时候回家？
Example 2:
- What time do you go?
- Nǐ shénme shíhòu zǒu?
- 你什么时候走?
#7: Why (为什么, wèi shén me)
Example 1:
- Why do you smoke?
- Nǐ wèishénme xīyān?
- 你为什么吸烟？
Example 2:
- Why is he not happy?
- Tā wèishéme bù gāoxìng?
- 他为什么不高兴?
#8: How (怎么, zěnme)
Example 1:
- How do you go to Beijing?
- Nǐ zěnme qù Běijīng?
- 你怎么去北京？
Example 2:
- How can you be so thoughtless?
- Nǐ zěnme zhèyàng bù dǒngshì?
- 你怎么这样不懂事？
#9: How many (多少, duō shǎo)
Example 1:
- How many people are there in this room?
- Zhè ge fángjiān yǒu duōshǎo rén?
- 这个房间有多少人？
Example 2:
- What is the wifi password in your store?
- Nǐmen diàn lǐ de wifi mìmǎ shì duōshǎo?
- 你们店里的wifi密码是多少？
Chinese Question Character #10: (几, jǐ) – how many
Example 1:
- What time is it now?
- Xiànzài jǐ diǎn?
- 现在几点?
Example 2:
- I have already called her several times.
- Wǒ yǐjīng gěi tā dǎle hǎojǐ gè diànhuàle.
- 我已经给她打了好几个电话了。
Do you know how to ask basic question in Chinese? Let me know your feedback.