← ChinesePath Chinese Dictionary

呢

ne

1. modal particle particle: follow-up question (and you?)

   我很好，你呢？

   Wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne?

   I am fine — and you?

2. modal particle particle softening a wh-question

   这是什么意思呢？

   Zhè shì shénme yìsi ne?

   What might this mean?

3. modal particle particle indicating an ongoing state

   外面下雨呢。

   Wàimiàn xià yǔ ne.

   It is raining outside.

4. modal particle particle of emphasis or exclamation

   还早呢。

   Hái zǎo ne.

   It is still early.

5. modal particle particle after a noun asking where it is (我的手机呢?)

   我的手机呢？

   Wǒ de shǒujī ne?

   Where is my phone?

6. modal particle mid-sentence particle marking topic contrast (as for...)

   你呢，先休息；我呢，去买菜。

   Nǐ ne, xiān xiūxi; wǒ ne, qù mǎi cài.

   As for you, take a rest first; as for me, I'll go grocery shopping.

The full ChinesePath dictionary entry for 呢 includes audio for every reading and example sentence, more example sentences, collocations, synonyms and links to the course units where it is taught.