什么 shén me is used in rhetorical questions to convey a more contentious enquiry:
(a) Following an adjective:
你忙什么？
Nǐ máng shén me ？
What are you so busy with?
你急什么？
Nǐ jí shén me？
What are you so worried about?/ There is no hurry./There’s nothing to worry about.
这道题难什么？
Zhè dào tí nán shén me？
What’s so difficult about this question?
(b) Preceding a noun:
吃什么！
Chī shén me！
What do you mean (eat) fish?/What fish?
(implies ‘There isn’t any fish.’)
看什么电影！
Kàn shén me diàn yǐng ！
There is no way you are going to the cinema!
摆什么架子！
Bǎi shén me jià zǐ！
You’ve got nothing to be proud of!/Don’t give yourself airs!
(c) After a verb:
你哭什么？
Nǐ kū shén me？
What are you crying for?
你嚷什么？
Nǐ rǎng shén me？
What are you shouting for?/What’s all the shouting about?
你埋怨什么？
Nǐ mái yuàn shén me？
What are you complaining about?/Why are you making such a fuss?
(d) With 有 yǒu idioms:
这有什么用？
Zhè yǒu shén me yòng ？
What’s the use of (doing) this?
这些书有什么意思？
Zhè xiē shū yǒu shén me yì sī ？
What’s so interesting about these books?
[1] Yip, P. C., Rimmington, D., Xiaoming, Z., & Henson, R. (2009). Basic Chinese: a grammar and workbook. Taylor & Francis.
