Meaning of 什么样
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- what kind?; what sort?
How to use 什么样
什么样 asks about the type, style, or nature of something. It often comes before a noun with 的, and it can also stand alone at the end of a question. Example: 你喜欢什么样的电影？(Nǐ xǐhuan shénmeyàng de diànyǐng?) What kind of movies do you like?
Combine 什么 (shénme) "what" with 样 (yàng) "appearance, kind" and you get "what kind". It is the question form of 这样 (zhèyàng) "this kind, like this".
Common mistake: Learners often drop 的 before the noun and say 什么样电影. In standard speech you should say 什么样的电影. Also, the 么 is neutral tone, so say shénme yàng, not shénmó yàng.
什么样 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
什 shén · what? mixed · 4 strokes
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么 me · interrogative particle · 3 strokes
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样 yàng · manner · 10 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 什么样.
| 什么 | shénme | what?; something; anything |
| 怎么 | zěnme | how?; what? |
| 一样 | yīyàng | same; like |
| 干什么 | gàn shénme | what are you doing?; what's he up to? |
| 没什么 | méi shénme | it doesn't matter; it's nothing; never mind; think nothing of it; it's my pleasure; you're |
| 这样 | zhèyàng | this way; like this; so; (before a noun) this kind of; such |
| 为什么 | wèi shénme | why?; for what reason? |
| 这么 | zhème | so much; this much |
| 那么 | nàme | like that; in that way; to that extent; (before a number) ... or so; about ... |
| 怎么样 | zěnmeyàng | how?; how about? |
| 那样 | nàyàng | that kind; that sort |
| 怎样 | zěnyàng | how; what kind |
Questions about 什么样
What does 什么样 mean?
什么样 (shénmeyàng) means "what kind?; what sort?" and is used as a pronoun.
How do you write 什么样?
什么样 is made of 3 characters: 什 (4 strokes), 么 (3 strokes), 样 (10 strokes). That is 17 strokes in total.
Is 什么样 an HSK word?
Yes. 什么样 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 什么样 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 什么样 is written 什麼樣.
What is the difference between 什么 and 什么样?
什么 asks "what" in general, as in 这是什么？(What is this?). 什么样 asks "what kind" or "what is it like", focusing on type or qualities, as in 他是什么样的人？(What kind of person is he?).
Can 什么样 be used as an answer or statement, not just a question?
Yes. It can mean "whatever kind" or "any kind", for example 什么样的工作都可以 (shénmeyàng de gōngzuò dōu kěyǐ), "any kind of job is fine". This use usually pairs with 都 (dōu).