干吗
HSK 3 (2021)
干吗 (gànmá) · why
干吗 (gànmá) means “why; what for; what (are you) doing”. It is written with 2 characters: 干 (dry) + 吗 (question particle). It is an HSK 3 word in the 2021 standard.
How 干吗 is built
The characters
干 gān · dry
What 干 is made of
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
Origin hint: A club or axe (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
吗 ma · question particle
What 吗 is made of
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 冂 — frame
- 马mǎ — horse
- 一 — horizontal stroke
Origin hint: 口 gives the meaning, 马 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
你在房间里干吗？Nǐ zài fángjiān lǐ gànmá?What are you doing in your room?
你干吗不早说？Nǐ gànmá bù zǎo shuō?Why didn't you say so earlier?
Questions about 干吗
What does 干吗 mean?
干吗 (gànmá) means “why; what for; what (are you) doing”.
How do you pronounce 干吗?
干吗 is pronounced gànmá.
Which HSK level is 干吗?
干吗 is in HSK 3 (2021).
Related words
- 干净gānjìngclean
- 干什么gànshénmewhat to do
- 干杯gānbēicheers!
- 干活儿gànhuórto work
- 能干nénggàncapable
- 饼干bǐnggānbiscuit
- 干脆gāncuìsimply
- 干燥gānzàodry
- 才干cáigànability
- 干旱gānhàndrought
Learn 干吗 with its group
It is part of HSK 3 (2021) · Group 27: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.