你呢
nǐ ne
How about you
你呢 (nǐ ne) is a very common and useful phrase in Mandarin Chinese, meaning “how about you?” or “what about you?” It's used to turn a question back to the person who just asked you, or to ask for their situation or opinion after you've shared yours.
What does 你呢 (nǐ ne) mean?
你呢 (nǐ ne) means “how about you” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “you particle.”
When to use it
Neutral and versatile. It's appropriate in most everyday conversations. For a more polite or formal context, use 您呢 (nín ne). If you want to emphasize the 'then' or 'in that case,' you can add 那 (nà) at the beginning, like 那你呢.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “nee nuh.” The 你 is a third tone, and 呢 is a neutral tone, so it's said lightly and quickly.
Other ways to say it
- 您呢nín nehow about you (polite / formal)
- 那你呢nà nǐ nethen how about you (with emphasis)
- 你怎么样nǐ zěnmeyànghow are you / how are things going for you
Examples
我很好，你呢？
wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne?
I'm good, how about you?
我喜欢吃辣的，你呢？
wǒ xǐhuan chī là de, nǐ ne?
I like spicy food, how about you?
我明天有空，你呢？
wǒ míngtiān yǒu kòng, nǐ ne?
I'm free tomorrow, how about you?
Pro tip: The particle 呢 (ne) is incredibly versatile. It's often used to form a question when the context is already established, implying 'what about X?' or 'where is X?'. It saves you from repeating the whole question.
Related phrases
过来 · Come here安静 · Be quiet晚安，祝你做个好梦 · Good night and sweet dreams
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