HSK 3
用反问句表示强调
yòng fǎn wèn jù biǎo shì qiáng diào
Using rhetorical questions for emphasis
Explanation
A rhetorical question is a sentence that has the form of a question but does NOT require an answer; its purpose is to emphasize by affirming the opposite. A question in negative form actually means an affirmation, and vice versa.
不是⋯⋯吗？(bùshì...ma, isn't it...?) or 难道⋯⋯吗？(nándào...ma, don't tell me...?).
when you want to emphasize something you consider obvious or to express surprise. For example 今天不是星期天吗？(in negative-question form) actually affirms "today really is Sunday"; 难道你没去过长城吗？expresses surprise that the other person supposedly should have been there before.
难道 makes the nuance of surprise/disbelief stronger, and usually goes together with 吗 at the end of the sentence.
misunderstanding the literal meaning as an ordinary question and answering yes/no; forgetting the word 吗 at the end of the sentence; using it in a neutral situation that needs no emphasis, which makes the sentence sound harsh.
Examples
Isn't today Sunday?
Don't tell me you've never been to the Great Wall?
Practice
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Learn “用反问句表示强调” effectively
The grammar point “用反问句表示强调” (Using rhetorical questions for emphasis) 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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