Chinese–EnglishWith examples

干什么

gàn shén me · gan shen me

Traditional 幹什麼

HSK 1

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. what are you doing?
  2. what's he up to?
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In a conversation

0:18 cartoon

What are you doing?

  1. Liangliang

    灯灯(dēngdēng)，你(nǐ)在(zài)干什么(gànshénme)？

    Dengdeng, what are you doing?

  2. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)在(zài)看(kàn)这(zhè)只(zhī)蚂蚁(mǎyǐ)，它(tā)拿(ná)着(zhe)一(yī)片(piàn)大(dà)叶子(yèzi)，

    I'm looking at this ant. It's carrying a big leaf.

  3. Liangliang

    它(tā)拿(ná)叶子(yèzi)要(yào)干什么(gànshénme)呢(ne)？

    And what is it going to do with that leaf?

  4. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)不(bù)知道(zhīdào)，也许(yěxǔ)想(xiǎng)做(zuò)帽子(màozi)，

    I don't know. Maybe it's going to make a hat.

  5. Liangliang

    那(nà)你(nǐ)在(zài)干什么(gànshénme)？你(nǐ)趴(pā)在(zài)地上(dìshang)！

    And what are you doing? You are lying on the ground!

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

你(nǐ)是(shì)干(gàn)什(shén)么(me)工(gōng)作(zuò)的(de)？

What do you do for work?

Tatoeba: Chinese by User5120 · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

你(nǐ)到(dào)底(dǐ)在(zài)我(wǒ)房(fáng)间(jiān)里(lǐ)干(gàn)什(shén)么(me)？

What on earth are you doing in my room?

Tatoeba: Chinese by basilhan · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

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How to write

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
干
gàn

to do; to work; to manage; capable

什
shén

what

么
má

exclamatory final particle

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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