什么都/也 (everything/anything)

• Pinyin: shénme dōu
• Formation: Topic (+ Subject) + 什么 + 都 / 也 + Verb / Adjective
• Hanzi breakdown: 什 = 亻(person) + 十 (ten); 么 = simplified from 麼

Meaning

The pattern 什么 + 都/也 means 'everything' or 'anything' when used in affirmative sentences, and 'nothing' or 'not anything' when combined with negation. It creates a universal or all-inclusive statement.

Both 都 and 也 can be used in this pattern, but with subtle differences. 什么都 is more neutral and declarative, while 什么也 often carries a slightly more emphatic or emotional tone, especially in negative sentences (什么也不想吃 sounds more emotionally charged than 什么都不想吃). This pattern extends beyond 什么: other question words can be used similarly — 哪里都 (everywhere), 谁都 (everyone), 怎么都 (no matter how). The question word loses its interrogative function and instead creates a universal meaning. In negative sentences, 什么都不 means 'nothing at all,' which is stronger than simply using 不.

Examples

1. 她什么都知道，你可以去问她。 She knows everything — you can go ask her.
2. 今天太累了，我什么也不想做。 I'm too tired today; I don't want to do anything.
3. 这家超市什么都卖。 This supermarket sells everything.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 周末我什么都不想干，就想在家休息。
• 他对美食很有研究，什么都吃过。
• 这个孩子很好奇，什么都想试试。
• 她心情不好，什么也不愿意说。

Don't Say

• 我什么不都喜欢。(都 must come after 什么, not split by 不 — the negation goes after 都) → 我什么都不喜欢。
• 什么都他会做。(The subject must come before 什么都, not between them) → 他什么都会做。

Origin & History

This pattern uses the question word 什么 in a non-interrogative way, a feature common in Chinese where question words can function as universal quantifiers when paired with 都 or 也.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal