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How to form rhetorical questions in Chinese with 不是……吗？

不 (bù) 是 (shì)…… 吗 (ma)？

不是 (bù shì)……吗 (ma)？ — rhetorical questions

HSK 2Question Forms

Rule structure

The structure 不是 (bù shì)…吗 (ma) forms a rhetorical question with an expected affirmative answer. It is used to emphasize an obvious point, remind the listener of a fact, or gently express disagreement.

Examples

不是很好吗？

Bù shì hěn hǎo ma?

Isn't it very good?

你不喜欢吗？

Nǐ bù xǐhuān ma?

Don't you like it?

这不是很有趣吗？

Zhè bùshì hěn yǒuqù ma?

Isn't this very interesting?

Practice

Build the sentence

Drag the characters to put them in the correct order

Characters

Words from this rule

不

bù

No, not

是

shì

To be, yes

吗

ma

Question particle

很

hěn

Very

好

hǎo

Good, well

你

nǐ

You

喜欢

xǐhuan

To like, to enjoy

这

zhè

This

有趣

yǒuqù

Interesting, fun

我

wǒ

I, me

的

de

Possessive particle; modifier particle

书

shū

Book

Frequently asked questions

How do you say “rhetorical questions” in Chinese with 不是……吗？?

Use the structure: 不 (bù) 是 (shì)…… 吗 (ma)？. For example: 不是很好吗？ — “Isn't it very good?”.

What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?

不是很好吗？ — “Isn't it very good?”.

Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?

This grammar rule is part of HSK 2.

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More HSK 2 grammar rules

怎么 — asking why

怎么 (zěnme)⋯⋯？

是不是 — tag questions

⋯⋯是不是 (shì bu shì) / 对不对 (duì bu duì) / 好不好 (hǎo bu hǎo)?

不 — affirmative-negative question

Verb + 不 (bù) + Verb / Adj. + 不 (bù) + Adj.

吗 — tag questions

⋯⋯是 (shì)吗 (ma) / 对 (duì)吗 (ma) / 好 (hǎo)吗 (ma)?

了 — already done

Subj. + Verb Phrase + 了 (le)

最 — superlative “most”

最 (zuì) + Adj. (+ 了 (le))

到 — direction with “to go to”

到 (dào) + Place + 去 (qù)

虽然 — although… but…

虽然 (suīrán)⋯⋯，但是 (dànshì) / 可是 (kěshì)⋯⋯