About

The word "干吗" is formed by combining the verb "干" (gàn), meaning "to do", with the interrogative component "吗" (ma), which is a colloquial contraction of "么" from "什么" (shénme), meaning "what". This creates a phrase that literally translates to "do what", used informally to ask "what are you doing?" or "why?"

Example Sentences Hide

你干吗不理我？

Nǐ gànmá bù lǐ wǒ?

Why are you ignoring me?

你昨天干吗不去开会？

Nǐ zuótiān gànmá bù qù kāihuì?

Why didn't you go to the meeting yesterday?

你周末到底干吗去了？

Nǐ zhōumò dàodǐ gànmá qù le?

What on earth did you do over the weekend?

如果没事干吗，我们可以去看电影。

Rúguǒ méi shì gànmá, wǒmen kěyǐ qù kàn diànyǐng.

If we have nothing to do, we can go see a movie.

他一直问我干吗这么着急做决定。

Tā yīzhí wèn wǒ gànmá zhème zháojí zuò juédìng.

He kept asking me why I was in such a hurry to make a decision.

Word Definition - 干吗

gàn má what are you doing?; what do you want?

Individual Character Details

干 gān, gān, gān, gān, gān, gān, gàn
吗 má, mǎ, ma