Definitions
(particle)
question particle ("What about...?", "And...?"); pause particle for emphasis; particle indicating continuation of state or action
(noun)
woolen material; wool fabric
About
Structurally composed of the mouth radical 口 and the phonetic component 尼, the character "呢" has its origins in representing soft vocal sounds such as whispering or murmuring in classical Chinese usage. Over centuries, its semantic scope shifted from denoting specific auditory qualities to assuming a grammatical role, where it emerged as a sentence-final particle during the medieval period to formulate questions or highlight continuous states. This functional transition continued, leading to its contemporary employment as a multifunctional modal particle that can interrogate, emphasize ongoing actions, or impart a nuanced, softening effect to utterances.
Example Sentences Hide
你在做什么呢？
他正在看书呢。
你喜欢咖啡，我呢？
天气很好，我们去公园呢？
如果你不去，那我怎么办呢？
他说他明天来，可是今天还没到呢。
你怎么能这样说话呢？
虽然遇到困难，但我们还是要坚持努力呢。