Top 12 Chinese Question Words - 汉语中常用的12个疑问词

In this video, you're going to learn how to say Chinese question words: what, who, which, where, when, why, how, how is it, how many, how much, how long and how old in Chinese.

Vocabulary

Chinese Question Words

1.
什么 [shén me]
what [HSK 1]
2.
谁 [shéi]
who [HSK 1]
3.
哪 [nǎ]
which [HSK 1]
4.
哪儿/哪里 [nǎr / nǎ li]
where [HSK 1]
5.
什么 时候 [shén me shí hou]
when [HSK 1]
6.
为什么 [wèi shén me]
why [HSK 2]
7.
怎么 [zěn me]
how [HSK 1]
8.
怎么样 [zěn me yàng]
how is it [HSK 1]
9.
几 [jǐ]
how many (It's used to ask for a smaller number,usually below 10) [HSK 1]
10.
多少 [duō shǎo]
how many (It's used to ask for a bigger number,usually above 10) [HSK 1]
11.
多少钱 [duō shǎo qián]
how much [HSK 1]
12.
多久 /多长时间 [duō jiǔ /duō cháng shí jiān]
how long [HSK 3]/[HSK 2]
13.
多大 [duō dà]
how old (It's used to ask for older people,usually above 10 years old)[HSK 1]
14.
几岁 [jǐ suì]
how old (It's used to ask for younger people,usually below 10 years old)[HSK 1]

Examples

1.
什么 [shén me]
what [HSK 1]
A:
jiào
shén
me
míng
zi
?
?
What's your name?
B:
jiào
Léi
.
My name is Li Lei.
A:
huan
chī
shén
me
?
?
What do you like to eat?
B:
huan
chī
píng
guǒ
.
I like to eat apples.
2.
谁 [shéi]
who [HSK 1]
A:
shì
shéi
?
Who is he?
B:
shì
de
lǎo
shī
.
He is my teacher.
A:
men
shì
shéi
?
Who are they?
B:
men
shì
de
tóng
xué
.
They are my classmates.
3.
哪 [nǎ]
which [HSK 1]
A:
shì
guó
rén
?
What is your nationality?
B:
shì
Zhōng
guó
rén
.
I'm Chinese.
A:
huan
ge
lǎo
shī
?
Which teacher do you like?
B:
huan
Hàn
lǎo
shī
.
I like Chinese teacher.
4.
哪儿/哪里 [nǎr / nǎ li]
where [HSK 1]
A:
jiā
zài
nǎr / nǎ li
哪儿/哪里
?
Where is your home?
B:
jiā
zài
Běi
jīng
.
My home is in beijing.
A:
ma
,
ge
zài
nǎr / nǎ li
哪儿/哪里
?
Mother,where is my older brother?
B:
ge
zài
xué
xiào
.
Your older brother is at school.
5.
什么时候 [shén me shí hou]
when [HSK 1]
A:
shén
me
shí
hou
huí
jiā
?
When will you go home?
B:
míng
tiān
huí
jiā
.
I will go home tomorrow.
A:
men
shén
me
shí
hou
chī
fàn
?
When shall we have meal?
B:
men
shí'èr
十二
diǎn
chī
fàn
.
We will have meal at 12 o'clock.
6.
为什么 [wèi shén me]
why [HSK 2]
A:
wèi
shén
me
qǐng
jià
?
Why did you ask for leave?
B:
Yīn
wèi
shēng
bìng
le
.
Because I'm sick.
A:
wèi
shén
me
chī
fàn
?
Why don't you have meal?
B:
Yīn
wèi
è
饿
.
Because I'm not hungry.