Video Notes
Help Phrases · Beginner
What Does This Mean?
How to ask what something means in Mandarin, with pinyin and a repeat-after-me line.
Need to ask “What does this mean?” in Mandarin? This is the phrase from the short video.
The phrase
这个是什么意思？ — zhège shì shénme yìsi? — What does this mean?
When to use it
Use this when you see or hear something in Chinese but do not know the meaning. It works for words, signs, and menus.
Repeat after me
- 什么意思 — shénme yìsi — what meaning
- 这个是什么意思？ — zhège shì shénme yìsi? — What does this mean?