Chinese question words are used where the answer would sit, not moved to the front of the sentence the way English what, who or where usually are. Once you learn that pattern, the individual words are easier to use naturally.
Core question words
These ten words cover most beginner questions. Read the pinyin aloud and check the tone before you use the phrase.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 什么 | shénme | what | 你叫什么名字？ What is your name? |
| 谁 | shéi / shuí | who | 他是谁？ Who is he? |
| 哪 | nǎ | which | 哪本书？ Which book? |
| 哪儿 / 哪里 | nǎr / nǎlǐ | where | 洗手间在哪儿？ Where is the bathroom? |
| 怎么 | zěnme | how / how come | 怎么去机场？ How do I get to the airport? |
| 为什么 | wèishénme | why | 为什么迟到？ Why are you late? |
| 几 | jǐ | how many (small numbers) | 几个人？ How many people? |
| 多少 | duōshao | how many / how much | 多少钱？ How much is it? |
| 什么时候 | shénme shíhou | when | 什么时候开始？ When does it start? |
| 怎么样 / 怎样 | zěnmeyàng / zěnyàng | how is it / in what way | 今天天气怎么样？ How is the weather today? |
哪个 (nǎge) combines 哪 with the measure word 个 and means “which one.” 几点 (jǐ diǎn) asks for clock time: 现在几点？ What time is it now? 多大 (duō dà) asks about age or size depending on the noun.
The word order rule
Keep the question word in the position where the answer belongs. Compare a statement with the corresponding question:
- 她住在北京。She lives in Beijing. → 她住在哪儿？Where does she live?
- 这是茶。This is tea. → 这是什么？What is this?
- 他是老师。He is a teacher. → 他是谁？Who is he?
- 我明天去。I go tomorrow. → 你什么时候去？When are you going?
Do not copy the English order. 什么是这 is not the natural way to say “What is this?” because English moves what to the front. The Chinese question keeps 什么 after 是.
吗 questions or question words
Use 吗 at the end of a statement to make a yes-or-no question, and use a question word when the answer is open. The two patterns are not interchangeable.
- 你去吗？Are you going? — the answer is yes or no.
- 你去哪儿？Where are you going? — the answer is a place.
- 这是茶吗？Is this tea? — yes or no.
- 这是什么？What is this? — the answer is a noun.
You normally do not use 吗 together with 什么, 谁, 哪儿 or 为什么. A question that already contains a question word does not need 吗.
几 and 多少
Both ask “how many,” but they are not used in exactly the same places. 几 usually expects a small number and normally needs a measure word: 几个人, 几本书, 几点, 几岁. 多少 works with larger or open quantities and can sometimes appear without a measure word: 多少人, 多少钱, 多少水.
多少钱 is the everyday way to ask a price. For a total, say 一共多少钱？ For a formal or written price question, 价格是多少 is also possible. The currency should still be clear from context or the listing.
什么时候 and 几点
什么时候 asks about a general time or date: 什么时候来？ 什么时候走？ 什么时候开始？ It can be answered with a day, a month, a year or a time range. 几点 asks for clock time: 现在几点？ 我们几点见？ 商店几点开门？
Do not answer 几点 questions with only 上午 or 下午; add the hour, as in 上午九点. Conversely, 什么时候 questions do not require a clock time.
怎么, 怎样 and 怎么样
怎么 typically asks about manner or means: 怎么走？ How do I go? 怎么读？ How is it read? It can also express surprise or concern: 你怎么了？ What is wrong? 怎么没来？ How come you did not come?
怎么样 asks for an opinion or an overall condition: 这个地方怎么样？ How is this place? 我们明天去，怎么样？ What about going tomorrow? 怎样 is similar but often appears in more formal or written contexts.
Question words with 都 and 也
When a question word is used with 都 or 也, the meaning becomes inclusive rather than interrogative. This is a common source of confusion.
- 谁都知道。Everyone knows.
- 我什么都不知道。I do not know anything.
- 他哪儿都不去。He is not going anywhere.
- 怎么都行。Anything is fine / either way works.
In these sentences the question word no longer asks a question. The sentence grammar and the presence of 都 or 也 mark the shift.
Polite and spoken forms
请问 (qǐngwèn) is a polite opener before a question: 请问，洗手间在哪儿？ 请问，这是几号线？ In Taiwan and parts of southern China, 哪裡 / 哪裡 are written with traditional characters; spoken forms can also shorten to 哪儿 in the north.
谁 is written the same in simplified and traditional Chinese in most contexts and may be read shéi in speech or shuí in slower or formal speech. Both readings are understood; shéi is more common in everyday conversation.
Common mistakes to check
- Moving the question word to the front because English does.
- Adding 吗 to a sentence that already contains a question word.
- Using 几 without a measure word or 多少 where 几 is expected.
- Confusing 几点 (clock time) with 什么时候 (general time).
- Reading 怎么 only as “how” and missing its “how come” or concern use.
- Missing the meaning change when 都 or 也 follows a question word.