LEARN + CHINESE / 196 of 300 HSK 5
Who Cares About That? 什么X不X的
This spoken pattern dismisses the importance of X. The speaker repeats X with 不 to push back against a concern, often reassuring a friend or correcting someone who is being overly formal.
Wave Away a Concern
什么钱不钱的, 朋友之间别这么客气 rejects the idea that money needs to be discussed between friends. The repeated pair can be a noun or verb; the speaker’s tone makes the dismissal clear.
什么钱不钱的，朋友之间别这么客气。
shénme qián bù qián de, péngyou zhījiān bié zhème kèqi.
Money, what money? Friends don’t need to be so formal.
Hint · 힌트
This is not a neutral question asking for a yes-or-no answer. It dismisses the distinction as unimportant.
Brush Off Winning or Losing
Use the same shape when you want to say that a contrast does not matter and point to what matters instead.
比赛输不输的没关系，认真参加就好。
bǐsài shū bù shū de méi guānxi, rènzhēn cānjiā jiù hǎo.
Winning or losing doesn’t matter; take part and do your best.
In Real Life
Friends may use this pattern to wave away money, thanks, or a small mistake. With a sharp tone, it can sound as if you are dismissing the other person’s concern.
Vocabulary
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
shénme | what |
qián | money |
bù | not; no |
de | (possessive particle 's) |
péngyou | friend |
zhījiān | between; among |
bié | do not; separate |
zhème | so; such; this way |
kèqi | polite; courteous |
bǐsài | competition; match |
shū | to lose (game); transport |
guānxì | relation; relationship |
rènzhēn | serious; earnest |
cānjiā | to participate; join |
jiù | then; just |
hǎo | good |
zhòngyào | important |
shì | to be (am, is, are) |
dàjiā | everyone |
kāixīn | happy |
YOUR PROGRESS
Finished this lesson?
Save your place in this course.