Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Chinese grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about zhè shì shénme yìsi?
What is the literal, word‑by‑word breakdown of the sentence?
- 这: this
- 是: to be/is
- 什么: what
- 意思: meaning/idea/intention Literal structure: “This is what meaning?” which is how Chinese asks “What does this mean?”
How do I pronounce it with tones?
Pinyin: zhè shì shénme yìsi
- zhè — 4th tone (falling)
- shì — 4th tone (falling)
- shén — 2nd tone (rising) + me — neutral tone
- yì — 4th tone (falling) + si — neutral tone The last syllables of 什么 and 意思 are neutral, so they’re light and short.
Any quick pronunciation tips for difficult sounds like zh/sh/si?
- zh (in zhè): retroflex “j”; curl the tongue back slightly. Not “j”.
- sh (in shì): retroflex “sh”; not “see.” Keep the tongue curled and lips slightly rounded.
- si (in yìsi): the “i” here is not “ee”; it’s a buzzed “s” with a syllabic vowel [sɿ]. Don’t add a “h” (i.e., not “shi”).
Why isn’t there a measure word like 个 after 这?
Because 这 here is a standalone pronoun (“this”), not modifying a noun. You need a measure word only when 这 directly modifies a noun:
- 这个词是什么意思？ (this word)
- 这句话是什么意思？ (this sentence)
- 这个字是什么意思？ (this character)
Which is more natural: 这是什么意思 or 这个是什么意思?
Both are correct. Subtlety:
- 这个是什么意思？ feels more specific/object-focused (you’re pointing at a word/thing).
- 这是什么意思？ can refer to a situation, symbol, gesture, or statement in general. In many contexts they’re interchangeable.
Can I omit 是? For example, say “这什么意思？”
Not in this structure. “这什么意思？” is colloquial but often sounds abrupt or dialectal. The standard full form is 这是什么意思？ However, it’s very common to drop both the subject and 是 and just say 什么意思？ in conversation.
Why is there no 吗 at the end?
吗 forms yes–no questions. This sentence uses the question word 什么, so you don’t add 吗.
How can I ask about the meaning of a word, sentence, or character specifically?
- Word: 这个词是什么意思？
- Sentence: 这句话是什么意思？
- Character: 这个字是什么意思？ To be extra polite, prepend 请问: “请问，这句话是什么意思？”
How do I make the question more polite or softer?
- Add 请问 at the start: 请问，这是什么意思？
- Ask for an explanation: 请问，你能解释一下吗？ (Can you explain a bit?) Note: this is a yes–no question, so it uses 吗, not 什么.
Does 意思 only mean “meaning”?
No. Besides “meaning,” 意思 can mean “idea/intention” and appears in common phrases:
- 有意思 = interesting/fun
- 不好意思 = sorry/embarrassed/excuse me
- 意思意思 = a small token gesture (colloquial)
What’s the difference between 意思, 含义, and 意义?
- 意思: everyday “meaning; intention.” Most common in speech.
- 含义: connotation/implication; often a bit more formal or analytical.
- 意义: significance/value/importance (not just dictionary meaning). Examples:
- 这句话的意思/含义是什么？
- 这项工作很有意义。
Can I use this to ask someone “What do you mean?”
Yes:
- 你这是什么意思？ (What do you mean by that?)
- 你什么意思？ (harsher/blunter)
To soften: 我不太明白，你的意思是……？ or add 啊/呢: 你这是什么意思啊？
Where does 什么 go? Can I say “什么是这意思？”
Question words stay in place in Chinese; they don’t move to the front. Put 什么 right before the noun it modifies: 什么意思.
Incorrect: “什么是这意思？”
Correct: 这是什么意思？
What do sentence-final particles like 呢 and 啊 do here?
They adjust tone:
- 这是什么意思呢？ gentle, inviting clarification
- 这是什么意思啊？ surprise, confusion, or mild frustration (tone depends on context)
What’s the Traditional Chinese version?
這是什麼意思？
Why did I see spaces between the characters somewhere?
In normal Chinese writing there are no spaces between words: 这是什么意思？
Spaces are often added in textbooks to show word boundaries for learners.
Is there any tone sandhi to worry about here?
No third‑tone sandhi occurs. Just note the neutral tones on the second syllables of 什么 and 意思. Keep the three 4th tones (zhè, shì, yì) crisp and falling.
Can I say “意思是什么？”
Yes, if you establish a topic: 这句话的意思是什么？
Saying 意思是什么？ without context sounds incomplete because “whose meaning?” isn’t specified.
How do I say “that” instead of “this”?
Swap 这 for 那: 那是什么意思？ = “What does that mean?”