HSK 3
疑问代词的非疑问用法
yí wèn dài cí de fēi yí wèn yòng fǎ
Indefinite use of question words
Explanation
Interrogative pronouns (interrogative pronoun → a word used to ask questions: who, what, which, where...) such as 谁 (shuí – who), 什么 (shénme – what), 哪儿 (nǎr – where), 怎么 (zěnme – how), besides being used to ask questions, can also be used NOT to ask. There are three non-interrogative uses.
(1) Meaning "any": interrogative pronoun + 都 (dōu – all) / 也 (yě – also) + verb, e.g. 谁都知道 (everyone knows). (2) Expressing correspondence: repeat the same interrogative pronoun in both clauses, usually adding 就 (jiù) in the second — 想吃什么就吃什么 (eat whatever you want). (3) Vague, indefinite reference: 什么 / 谁 / 哪儿 carry the meaning "something / someone / somewhere" — 好像在哪儿见过 (seems I've met you somewhere).
when you want to say "anyone / anything at all...", say "whichever one corresponds to whichever", or refer vaguely to an unspecified person/thing/place.
Vietnamese learners often forget to add 都 or 也 in the "any" usage (wrong: 谁喜欢她 → correct: 谁都喜欢她); and in the corresponding-repetition usage often forget 就 in the second clause (谁想参加谁就报名).
the same Chinese sentence with a "?" is a question, but without "?" and paired with 都/也 it is a non-interrogative use.
Examples
Everyone likes her.
I'll eat anything.
You can come whenever you like.
I haven't been anywhere.
However you want to go is no problem.
Help yourselves, eat whatever you want.
Whoever wants to join the competition, that person signs up.
Whatever time they arrive is when we start.
However you do it, that's how I'll do it.
They each do their own thing, nobody helps anybody.
It seems I've met you somewhere before.
Have a little something to eat first, then go to the park.
If you can't carry it alone, then ask someone to come help.
Practice
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The grammar point “疑问代词的非疑问用法” (Indefinite use of question words) is one of the key structures at HSK 3. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
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