Lessons 13, 18: Flexible uses of interrogative pronouns (1): any and indefinite reference

Interrogative pronouns used not to ask but to mean "any" (with 都/也) or to refer to an indefinite person or thing.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 4 · Lesson 13 · Hanyu 4 · Lesson 18

天太冷，我哪儿也不想去。

Tiān tài lěng, wǒ nǎr yě bù xiǎng qù.

It's so cold that I don't want to go anywhere.

Explanation

Besides expressing questions and rhetorical questions, interrogative pronouns can also express arbitrary reference (任指, “any”), specific reference (特指), and indefinite reference (虚指). This topic covers 任指 and 虚指; 特指 is covered in the next topic.

When an interrogative pronoun expresses arbitrary reference (任指, also called 泛指), “谁” means any person; “什么” means anything; “怎么” means any manner or method; “哪儿” means any place; “什么时候” means any time... The adverb “也” or “都” is usually used in the sentence together with these interrogative pronouns.

Indefinite reference (虚指) refers to a person or thing that cannot be determined, is unknown, cannot be named, or does not need to be named. For example, in Lesson 13, “什么” in 没有什么呀 does not express a question but refers to an indefinite thing.

Structure

1
谁 / 什么 / 怎么 / 哪儿 / 什么时候都 / 也…
Arbitrary reference (任指): 谁 = any person; 什么 = anything; 怎么 = any manner or method; 哪儿 = any place; 什么时候 = any time. The adverb 也 / 都 is usually used together.
- 我们班的同学谁都喜欢她。
  Wǒmen bān de tóngxué shéi dōu xǐhuan tā.
  Everyone in our class likes her.
- 天太冷，我哪儿也不想去。
  Tiān tài lěng, wǒ nǎr yě bù xiǎng qù.
  It's so cold that I don't want to go anywhere.
- 怎么办都行，我没意见。
  Zěnme bàn dōu xíng, wǒ méi yìjiàn.
  Any way is fine with me; I have no opinion.
- 吃什么都可以。
  Chī shénme dōu kěyǐ.
  Anything is fine to eat.
- 你什么时候来我都欢迎。
  Nǐ shénme shíhou lái wǒ dōu huānyíng.
  You are welcome any time.
2
谁 / 什么 / 怎么 / 哪儿 (không xác định)
Indefinite reference (虚指): refers to a person or thing that cannot be determined, is unknown, cannot be named, or does not need to be named.
- 这个人我好像在哪儿见过。
  Zhège rén wǒ hǎoxiàng zài nǎr jiànguo.
  I feel like I've seen this person somewhere.
- 我的照相机不知怎么弄坏了。
  Wǒ de zhàoxiàngjī bù zhī zěnme nònghuài le.
  My camera broke, and I don't know why.
- 朋友要回国了，我应该买点什么礼物送给她。
  Péngyou yào huíguó le, wǒ yīnggāi mǎi diǎn shénme lǐwù sòng gěi tā.
  You're about to go home; I should buy her something as a present.
- 我听谁说过这件事。
  Wǒ tīng shéi shuōguo zhè jiàn shì.
  I heard someone mention this.
- 没有什么呀。
  Méiyǒu shénme ya.
  It's nothing.

Usage notes

Arbitrary reference (任指): the sentence usually has the adverb 也 or 都 with the interrogative pronoun.
“什么” in 没有什么呀 (Lesson 13) is not a question but refers to an indefinite thing.

Common mistakes

~~我的电脑坏了，什么也修不好。~~
我的电脑坏了，怎么也修不好。
for a manner or way of doing something, use 怎么
~~我刚来中国的时候，什么汉语不会说。~~
我刚来中国的时候，什么话也不会说。/ 一句汉语不会说

Practice

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