Asking What Someone Means in Mandarin Chinese
Learn to ask 'What do you mean by that?' in Mandarin when a statement is unclear. This lesson focuses on clarifying meaning, not asking for opinions, with phrases like 你是什么意思 and 你的意思是……吗.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
When you are talking with someone in Mandarin and a statement is unclear, you need a way to ask what they mean. This is different from asking for an opinion. Asking for an opinion is like asking 'What do you think?' (你觉得怎么样？). Asking for meaning is asking the speaker to explain their words. In this lesson, you will learn simple, polite questions to clarify meaning. You will practice phrases such as 你是什么意思？(What do you mean?) and 你的意思是……吗？(Do you mean ...?). These questions help you keep the conversation going and avoid misunderstandings. The focus is on meaning, not on judging whether the statement is good or bad.
By the end, you can…
- ask what someone means when their statement is unclear.
- use 你是什么意思 and 你的意思是……吗 to clarify meaning.
- tell the difference between asking for meaning and asking for an opinion.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
你是什么意思？
What do you mean?
nǐ shì shénme yìsi?
A direct, common way to ask for meaning. Use it when you did not understand someone's words. It is neutral and can be used with friends or people you know well.
你的意思是……吗？
Do you mean ...?
nǐ de yìsi shì ... ma?
Use this to check your understanding by repeating what you think they mean. For example, 你的意思是你不去吗？(Do you mean you are not going?) Note that 意思 (yìsi) has a neutral tone on the second syllable.
我不太明白。
I don't quite understand.
wǒ bú tài míngbai.
A polite way to say you do not understand. It softens the request for clarification. Use it before asking a follow-up question. Note: 明白 (míngbai) has a neutral tone on the second syllable.
你能再说一遍吗？
Can you say that again?
nǐ néng zài shuō yí biàn ma?
Ask the speaker to repeat. This is useful when you missed the words, not just the meaning. It is polite with 能 and 吗. Note: 一遍 (yí biàn) — the tone of 一 changes to yí before a fourth-tone syllable.
这是什么意思？
What does this mean?
zhè shì shénme yìsi?
Use this when you are asking about the meaning of a word, phrase, or sentence. It is not about the speaker's intention, but about the meaning itself.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The key pattern is 你的意思是……吗？(nǐ de yìsi shì ... ma?). You put your guess in the blank. For example, if someone says 我明天很忙 (I am busy tomorrow), you can ask 你的意思是你不能来吗？(Do you mean you cannot come?). Another pattern is 你是什么意思？(nǐ shì shénme yìsi?). This asks directly for meaning. You can also say 我不太明白，你是什么意思？(I don't quite understand, what do you mean?). Notice that 意思 (yìsi) means 'meaning' or 'intention'. It is the key word for this lesson. The second syllable of 意思 is neutral: yìsi, not yìsì.
When to use it
Use these questions when a statement is unclear. For example, if a friend says 这个有点麻烦 (This is a bit troublesome), you might not know if they mean it is difficult, or if they are refusing. You can ask 你的意思是这个很难吗？(Do you mean this is difficult?). Do not use these questions to ask for an opinion. To ask for an opinion, use 你觉得怎么样？(What do you think?) or 你认为呢？(What is your view?). Asking 你是什么意思？is about understanding the speaker's words, not about giving your own view. It is polite in most situations, but if you are speaking to a very senior person, you can soften it with 不好意思，我不太明白您的意思 (Sorry, I don't quite understand your meaning). Note that 您 (nín) is the polite form of 你.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
我明天可能不去。
I might not go tomorrow.wǒ míngtiān kěnéng bú qù.你的意思是你不想去吗？
Do you mean you don't want to go?nǐ de yìsi shì nǐ bù xiǎng qù ma?不是，我的意思是我有事。
No, I mean I have something to do.bú shì, wǒ de yìsi shì wǒ yǒu shì.哦，我明白了。
Oh, I understand.ó, wǒ míngbai le.A little context goes a long way
In Mandarin, asking 你是什么意思？can sometimes sound direct or even confrontational if your tone is harsh. To keep it polite, use a softer tone and add 我不太明白 (I don't quite understand) first. With strangers or superiors, use 您 (nín) instead of 你 (nǐ): 您是什么意思？Also, 意思 can mean 'meaning', 'intention', or even 'a small gift' (意思意思). Context makes it clear. When clarifying, it is common to repeat part of the other person's sentence to show you are listening. Note that 意思 (yìsi) has a neutral tone on the second syllable.
One thing to watch for
Using 你是什么意思？to ask for an opinion, as in 'What do you think?'
Try this instead: 你是什么意思？asks for meaning, not opinion. To ask for an opinion, say 你觉得怎么样？(nǐ juéde zěnmeyàng?) or 你认为呢？(nǐ rènwéi ne?). For example, if you want to know someone's view on a plan, ask 你觉得这个计划怎么样？(What do you think of this plan?). If you ask 你是什么意思？, they will think you did not understand their words. Note: 觉得 (juéde) has a neutral tone on the second syllable.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'What do you mean?' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
你是什么意思？
This is the direct way to ask for meaning. You can also say 你的意思是……吗？if you want to check a specific guess. Both are correct, but 你是什么意思？is more general. Note: 意思 (yìsi) has a neutral tone on the second syllable.
2Someone says 我有点累. You think they mean they want to rest. How do you check?
Show a sample answer
你的意思是你想休息吗？
This uses the pattern 你的意思是……吗？with your guess 你想休息. It politely checks if your understanding is correct. You could also ask 你是想休息吗？which is slightly more direct. Note: 休息 (xiūxi) has a neutral tone on the second syllable.
3What is the difference between 你是什么意思？and 你觉得怎么样？
Show a sample answer
你是什么意思？asks for meaning; 你觉得怎么样？asks for an opinion.
The first is about understanding the speaker's words. The second is about the other person's view or evaluation. They are used in different situations. Using the wrong one can cause confusion. Note: 觉得 (juéde) has a neutral tone on the second syllable.
When a statement is unclear, ask 你是什么意思？or 你的意思是……吗？to clarify meaning. Remember: this is not the same as asking for an opinion. Use 你觉得怎么样？for opinions.
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