什么样

• Pinyin: shén me yàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 什 = 亻(person) + 十 (ten); 么 = simplified form of 麼; 样 = 木 (wood) + 羊 (sheep, phonetic)

Meaning

What kind; what sort. Used to ask about the nature, type, or appearance of something.

A common interrogative phrase used to ask about qualities, characteristics, or types. Often followed by 的 when modifying a noun. Differs from 怎么样, which asks about a condition or opinion rather than a type.

Examples

1. 你喜欢什么样的音乐？ What kind of music do you like?
2. 这个城市是什么样的？ What is this city like?
3. 你想找什么样的工作？ What kind of job do you want to find?

Usage Guide

Context: questions, everyday conversation, describing

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你觉得什么样的人最好？(What kind of person do you think is best?)
• 明天的天气是什么样的？(What will the weather be like tomorrow?)

Don't Say

• 不要把什么样和怎么样混淆 (Don't confuse 什么样 with 怎么样 — 什么样 asks 'what kind,' while 怎么样 asks 'how is it' about a condition or opinion)

Origin & History

什么 (shénme, what) + 样 (yàng, kind/type). Literally 'what kind,' a natural compound of the interrogative pronoun and a classifier for types.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal