How to say "What?" in Chinese

什么 (shénme) is a compound question word: 什 (shén) and 么 (me) together mean "what". It can be used alone or before a noun to ask "what kind of".

Use 什么 to ask about objects, actions, or general information. It is versatile and used in all registers. When asking "what is this?", you can say 这是什么? (zhè shì shénme?). Avoid using it with a rising tone if you are not asking a question, as it may sound like a statement.