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什么(shénme) — meaning, uses and examples

1. pronoun what; what kind of

   你在找什么？

   Nǐ zài zhǎo shénme?

   What are you looking for?

2. pronoun anything (什么都, 什么也)

   我什么都吃。

   Wǒ shénme dōu chī.

   I eat anything.

3. pronoun something (indefinite)

   我想吃点什么。

   Wǒ xiǎng chī diǎn shénme.

   I feel like eating something.

4. pronoun what... (rhetorical, dismissive)

   他懂什么？

   Tā dǒng shénme?

   What does he know?

5. interjection What?! (interjection of surprise, doubt, or displeasure)

   什么？！这件事是真的吗？

   Shénme?! Zhè jiàn shì shì zhēn de ma?

   What?! Is this thing true?