难道…吗?
HSK 5- Questions
Structure (结构 jiégòu)
Meaning (意思 yìsi)
难道…吗? used for rhetorical questions, expressing surprise or disbelief about something, equivalent to "Could it really be that...?" or "Don't tell me that...?"
Explanation (解释 jiěshì)
You use 难道…吗? when you want to ask a rhetorical question with a sense of surprise, along the lines of "Could it really be that...?" or "Don't tell me that...?". This is not a genuine question seeking an answer, but rather a way to emphasize your own point, typically when something seems unreasonable or contrary to expectations.
The speaker usually already has the answer in mind and uses this structure to express disbelief or to prompt the listener to reflect and agree.
Examples (例句 lìjù)(5)
- 这么简单的问题，难道你不会吗？繁: 這麼簡單的問題，難道你不會嗎？Zhème jiǎndān de wèntí, nándào nǐ bú huì ma?
Such a simple question, surely you know how to do it?
- 他还没来，难道是生病了吗？繁: 他還沒來，難道是生病了嗎？Tā hái méi lái, nándào shì shēngbìng le ma?
He hasn't arrived yet, could it be that he's fallen ill?
- 我只是说了实话，难道这也有错吗？繁: 我只是說了實話，難道這也有錯嗎？Wǒ zhǐshì shuō le shíhuà, nándào zhè yě yǒu cuò ma?
I'm only telling the truth, surely that can't be wrong?
- 你忘了今天是我生日，难道你不爱我了吗？繁: 你忘了今天是我生日，難道你不愛我了嗎？Nǐ wàng le jīntiān shì wǒ de shēngrì, nándào nǐ bú ài wǒ le ma?
You forgot that today is my birthday—does that mean you don't love me anymore?
- 难道你不知道这件事吗？繁: 難道你不知道這件事嗎？Nándào nǐ bù zhīdào zhè jiàn shì ma?
Don't you know about this matter?
Common mistakes
- Wrong:难道这是你的书吗？Correct:这是你的书吗？
难道 is used for rhetorical questions (questions for emphasis that do not require an answer), not for ordinary questions seeking information.
- Wrong:你难道忘了他？Correct:难道你忘了他吗？
The standard structure of this rhetorical question typically ends with 吗 to complete the tone and meaning.