ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY

(question-word suffix)

me
3 strokes · 丿 (slash radical) · HSK 1

Where 么 comes from

么 is a tiny simplified particle (from 麼). It carries no meaning alone — it's a toneless suffix (me) that builds question words by attaching to other characters.

么 in Chinese culture

么 is the partner that completes Chinese question words: 什么 (what), 怎么 (how), 那么 / 这么 (so, like that/this), 多么 (how very). It's always light and toneless (me). You met 什 just now — together 什么 is 'what'. Think of 么 as the little tail that turns a character into a question or a 'so/such'.

Example

怎么 zěnme — how / in what way

你怎么了?
Nǐ zěnme le?
What's wrong with you? / How are you?

How to remember it

A tiny toneless tail (me) that turns characters into question words.

么 builds a whole question family: 什么 (what), 怎么 (how), 为什么 (why), 这么/那么 (so / like this). One little suffix, endless questions.

Same sound, different tones

Words unlocked by 么

什么 shénme
what
怎么 zěnme
how
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