呢 (question particle)

• Pinyin: ne
• Formation: Noun / Pronoun + 呢？

Meaning

The particle 呢 (ne) is added after a noun or pronoun to form a follow-up question meaning 'what about...?' or 'how about...?' It creates a short question that mirrors a previously asked or implied question.

The particle 呢 at the end of a short phrase creates an elliptical question — the speaker omits the verb because it is already understood from context. For example, after someone says 我很好 (I'm fine), you can ask 你呢？ (And you?). This is one of the most efficient ways to form follow-up questions in Chinese. 呢 can also appear at the end of longer sentences to add a softer, more conversational tone to questions, or to express a sense of wondering. It differs from 吗 in that 吗 creates yes-no questions, while 呢 either asks for more information or echoes a previous question topic. 呢 is also used in 'still ongoing' statements like 他还在睡觉呢 (He's still sleeping).

Examples

1. 我喜欢喝咖啡，你呢？ I like drinking coffee — what about you?
2. 我的手机呢？刚才还在桌子上。 Where's my phone? It was just on the table.
3. 大家都到了，小王呢？ Everyone's here — where's Xiao Wang?

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, everyday

Tone: conversational

Do Say

• 我点了一杯拿铁，你呢？
• 这件衣服很好看，那件呢？
• 我们走了，他们呢？
• 作业我写完了，你呢？

Don't Say

• 你好吗呢？(呢 and 吗 serve different functions and should not be combined — use one or the other) → 你好吗？
• 你呢什么？(呢 must come at the end of the phrase, never in the middle — it is a sentence-final particle) → 你怎么了？
• 你去不去呢？(呢 is generally not added to affirmative-negative questions — the A-not-A structure already signals a question) → 你去不去？

Origin & History

The particle 呢 has been used since classical Chinese, though its modern function as a follow-up question marker solidified during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It likely evolved from longer interrogative expressions that were gradually shortened.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal