what

pron.

det.

1. 什么
   used in questions to ask for particular information about sb/sth
   1. What is your name?
      你叫什么名字？
   2. What (= what job) does he do?
      他是做什么工作的？
   3. What time is it?
      现在什么时候了？
   4. What kind of music do you like?
      你喜欢什么音乐？
2. …的事物；无论什么；凡是…的事物
   the thing or things that; whatever
   1. What you need is a good meal.
      你需要的是一顿美餐。
   2. Nobody knows what will happen next.
      没有人知道接下来将会发生什么事。
   3. I spent what little time I had with my family.
      我仅有的一点儿时间都和家人在一起度过了。
3. 多么；真；太
   used to say that you think that sth is especially good, bad, etc.
   1. What awful weather!
      天气太糟糕了！
   2. What a beautiful house!
      多么漂亮的房子啊！

Usually pronounced /wɒt/ for meanings 2, 4, 5 and 18. 义项2, 4, 5和18在句中通常不作重读。


1. QUEST (用于疑问句中询问所不知道的信息)什么
   You use what in questions when you ask for specific information about something that you do not know.
   1. What do you want?...
      你想要什么？
   2. What did she tell you, anyway?...
      总之，她告诉了你什么？
   3. 'Has something happened?' — 'Indeed it has.' — 'What?'...
      “有什么事发生吗？”——“当然有。”——“什么事？”
   4. What are the greatest sources of conflict in the Middle East?...
      中东冲突的最重要原因是什么？
   5. Hey! What are you doing?
      嘿！你在干什么？
   6. What is also a determiner.
      
   7. What time is it?...
      几点了？
   8. What crimes are the defendants being charged with?...
      被告因何罪名被起诉？
   9. 'The heater works.'—'What heater?'...
      “加热器起作用了。”——“什么加热器？”
   10. What kind of poetry does he like?
       他喜欢哪种诗？
2. CONJ-SUBORD （尤用于动词和形容词后以引导关系从句）
   You use what after certain words, especially verbs and adjectives, when you are referring to a situation that is unknown or has not been specified.
   1. You can imagine what it would be like driving a car into a brick wall at 30 miles an hour...
      你可以想象汽车以每小时30英里的速度撞向一堵砖墙结果会怎样。
   2. I want to know what happened to Norman...
      我想知道诺曼怎么了。
   3. Do you know what those idiots have done?...
      你知道那些傻瓜做了些什么吗？
   4. We had never seen anything like it before and could not see what to do next...
      我们以前从没见过这样的事情，不知道接下来要做些什么。
   5. She turned scarlet from embarrassment, once she realized what she had done.
      她意识到自己做了什么后羞红了脸。
   6. What is also a determiner.
      
   7. I didn't know what college I wanted to go to...
      我不知道自己要去上哪所大学。
   8. I didn't know what else to say.
      我不知道还有什么要说。
   9. ...an inspection to ascertain to what extent colleges are responding to the needs of industry.
      旨在确定大学在多大程度上契合工业需求的视察。
3. CONJ-SUBORD (用在强调句型的句首)所…的(是…)
   You use what at the beginning of a clause in structures where you are changing the order of the information to give special emphasis to something.
   1. What precisely triggered off yesterday's riot is still unclear...
      究竟是什么引发了昨天的骚乱还不清楚。
   2. What I wanted, more than anything, was a few days' rest...
      我最想要的就是能休息几天。
   3. What she does possess is the ability to get straight to the core of a problem.
      她确实有直入问题本质的能力。
4. CONJ-SUBORD …那样的(事物)
   You use what in expressions such as what is called and what amounts to when you are giving a description of something.
   1. She had been in what doctors described as an irreversible vegetative state for five years...
      她处于医生所说的不可逆性植物人状态已经5年了。
   2. Meanwhile, most young people in the West are expected to leave what could be life's most momentous decision—marriage—almost entirely up to luck.
      同时，人们认为西方的大多数年轻人把婚姻这一可能是人生最重要的决定几乎完全交由命运来安排。
5. CONJ-SUBORD (用于指全部的量)所有的
   You use what to indicate that you are talking about the whole of an amount that is available to you.
   1. He drinks what is left in his glass as if it were water...
      他把杯子里剩下的东西当水一样全喝了下去。
   2. He moved carefully over what remained of partition walls.
      他小心翼翼地跨过残余的隔墙。
   3. What is also a determiner.
      
   4. They had had to use what money they had.
      他们不得不动用所有的钱。
6. CONVENTION (表示已经听到对方的话，并请其继续说)什么事
   You say 'What?' to tell someone who has indicated that they want to speak to you that you have heard them and are inviting them to continue.
   1. 'Dad?' — 'What?' — 'Can I have the car tonight?'
      “爸爸？”——“什么事？”——“我今晚能用车吗？”
7. CONVENTION (用于没有听清或听懂时，请求他人再重复一遍刚说的话;不如 pardon，excuse me 等正式和礼貌)什么
   You say 'What?' when you ask someone to repeat the thing that they have just said because you did not hear or understand it properly. 'What?' is more informal and less polite than expressions such as 'Pardon?' and 'Excuse me?'.
   1. 'They could paint this place,' she said. 'What?' he asked.
      “他们可以粉刷这个地方，”她说。“什么？”他问。
8. CONVENTION (用于表示惊讶)什么，真的吗
   You say 'What' to express surprise.
   1. 'Adolphus Kelling, I arrest you on a charge of trafficking in narcotics.'—'What?'
      “阿道弗斯·克林，我以贩毒的罪名逮捕你。”——“什么？”
   2. 'We've got the car that killed Myra Moss.' — 'What!'
      “我们已经找到撞死迈拉·莫斯的车了。”——“真的！”
9. PREDET (用在感叹句中强调某种意见或反应)多么
   You use what in exclamations to emphasize an opinion or reaction.
   1. What a horrible thing to do...
      做这样的事简直太可怕了！
   2. What a busy day.
      多么忙碌的一天啊。
   3. What is also a determiner.
      
   4. What ugly things; throw them away, throw them away...
      多难看的东西啊，扔掉，扔掉。
   5. What great news, Jakki.
      这消息真是太好了，杰克。
10. ADV (用于猜测时)嗯，哦
    You use what to indicate that you are making a guess about something such as an amount or value.
    1. It's, what, eleven years or more since he's seen him...
       打从他上次见他，已有，嗯，11年甚至更久了。
    2. This piece is, what, about a half an hour long?
       这首曲子有，嗯，大约半个小时那么长，对吗？

You use an expression with what and like to ask questions about the appearance or character of someone or something. You do not use how. For example, if you ask 'How is Susan?', you are asking about her health. If you want to know about her appearance, you ask 'What does Susan look like?' If you want to know about her personality, you ask 'What is Susan like?'
可用 what 和 like来对某人或某物的外表或特点进行提问，而不用how。例如，如果说 how is Susan (苏珊好吗), 是在询问她的健康状况。如果想问她的外貌，用 what does Susan look like (苏珊长得怎么样);如果想问她的个性，则用 what is Susan like (苏珊是个什么样的人)。

11. CONVENTION 你猜怎么着，你知道吗(表示接下来的信息令人惊讶，很少有人知道或者需要强调 )
    You say guess what or do you know what to introduce a piece of information which is surprising, which is not generally known, or which you want to emphasize.
    1. Guess what? I'm going to dinner at Mrs. Combley's tonight...
       你猜怎么着？今晚我要去康伯利夫人家里赴宴。
    2. Do you know what? I'm going to the circus this afternoon.
       你知道吗？我下午要去看马戏。
12. PHRASE (用于疑问句后，表示语气强烈地陈述观点，并希望他人赞同)难道不是吗，是不是啊
    In conversation, you say or what? after a question as a way of stating an opinion forcefully and showing that you expect other people to agree.
    1. Look at that moon. Is that beautiful or what?...
       看看那月亮，它真漂亮，不是吗？
    2. Am I wasting my time here, or what?
       我是在这儿浪费时间吗，是不是啊？
13. CONVENTION (用来暗指之前的话不重要、无趣或与己无关)那又怎样，那又如何
    You say so what? or what of it? to indicate that the previous remark seems unimportant, uninteresting, or irrelevant to you.
    1. 'I skipped off school today,' — 'So what? What's so special about that?'...
       “我今天逃学了。”——“那又怎样？有什么特别的吗？”
    2. 'This is Hollywood, U.S.A., where they make all the movies, remember.' — 'What of it?'...
       “记住，这是美国的好莱坞，所有那些影片都是在这里制作的。”——“那又如何？”
    3. 'You're talking to yourself.' — 'Well, what of it?'
       “你在自言自语。”“对啊，不行吗？”
14. PHRASE (用于提出建议)我有个主意，你听我说
    You say 'Tell you what' to introduce a suggestion or offer.
    1. Tell you what, let's stay here another day.
       我想，我们可以在这里再呆一天。
15. PHRASE (用于问句句首，表示提出建议或请求)…怎么样
    You use what about at the beginning of a question when you make a suggestion, offer, or request.
    1. What about going out with me tomorrow?...
       明天和我一起出去怎么样？
    2. 'What about Sunday evening at Frank's?' — 'Sure. What time?'...
       “周日晚上在弗兰克家怎么样？”——“好啊，几点？”
    3. What about you? Would you like to come and live in Paris and work for me?
       你呢？愿意到巴黎生活并且为我工作吗？
16. PHRASE (用于引出与之前内容相关的新的话题或观点)那么…怎么样
    You use what about or what of when you introduce a new topic or a point which seems relevant to a previous remark.
    1. Now you've talked about work on daffodils, what about other commercially important flowers, like roses?...
       既然你们已谈到了种植水仙花，那么其他具有重要商业价值的花卉呢，比如玫瑰？
    2. And what about when you were in the fifth year, did people give you careers advice on coming to college?...
       那么在你五年级时，有人就上大学给过你择业方面的建议吗？
    3. And what of the effect on U.S domestic opinion?...
       对美国国内的舆论有什么影响？
    4. 'I don't like being in the house on my own.' — 'What about at night? Do you mind being by yourself at night?'
       “我不喜欢独自一个人呆在屋子里。”——“那晚上呢，你介意晚上一个人呆着吗？”
17. PHRASE (用于请某人解释原因)…怎么了
    You say what about a particular person or thing when you ask someone to explain why they have asked you about that person or thing.
    1. 'This thing with the Corbett woman.'—'Oh, yeah. What about her?'
       “是跟那个科比特家的女人有关的事。”——“哦，是吗，她怎么了？”
18. PHRASE 诸如此类;等等
    You say what have you at the end of a list in order to refer generally to other things of the same kind.
    1. So many things are unsafe these days—milk, cranberry sauce, what have you...
       现如今很多食品都不安全——牛奶、蓝莓酱等等。
    2. My great-grandfather made horseshoes and nails and what have you.
       我曾祖父打制马掌、铁钉等诸如此类的东西。
19. PHRASE (用于疑问句句首，尤用于询问不希望看到的事发生时的结果)如果…怎么办
    You say what if at the beginning of a question when you ask about the consequences of something happening, especially something undesirable.
    1. What if this doesn't work out?...
       如果这个不行怎么办？
    2. What if he was going to die!...
       如果他快要死了该怎么办？
    3. What if relations between you and your neighbour have reached deadlock, and their behaviour is still unacceptable?
       如果你和你的邻居已闹僵了，而他们的行为还是令人难以接受，那怎么办？
20. PHRASE 重要的事情
    If you know what's what, you know the important things that need to be known about a situation.
    1. You have to know what's what and when to draw the line...
       你必须搞清状况以及自己的底线。
    2. You should come across the river with us. Then you will really see what's what.
       你应该和我们一起过河，那时你就会了解实情了。
21. PREP-PHRASE (尤指不想看到的情况的发生)由于，因为
    You say what with in order to introduce the reasons for a particular situation, especially an undesirable one.
    1. Maybe they are tired, what with all the sleep they're losing staying up night after night...
       也许他们是太累了，考虑到他们成宿成宿地熬夜。
    2. What with one thing and another, it was fairly late in the day when we returned to Shrewsbury.
       由于这事那事，那天我们返回什鲁斯伯里时已经很晚了。
22. CONVENTION (表示不相信或不能接受某人刚说的话，或没有听清或完全理解)你说什么？
    People say 'you what?' to indicate that they do not believe or accept the remark that someone has just made, or that they have not heard or understood it properly.
    1. 'I'm going to have problems sleeping tonight.' — 'You what?'...
       “今晚我可能睡不着。”——“不会吧？”
    2. 'What are you doing here?' — 'Oh I work here now.' — 'You what?'
       “你在这儿干什么呢？”——“哦，我现在在这里工作。”——“你说什么？”
23. what's more → see: more

1. What do you want?
   你想要什么？
2. 'Has something happened?' — 'Indeed it has.' — 'What?'
   “有什么事发生吗？”——“当然有。”——“什么事？”
3. What are the greatest sources of conflict in the Middle East?
   中东冲突的最重要原因是什么？
4. Hey! What are you doing?
   嘿！你在干什么？
5. You can imagine what it would be like driving a car into a brick wall at 30 miles an hour
   你可以想象汽车以每小时30英里的速度撞向一堵砖墙结果会怎样。
6. I want to know what happened to Norman
   我想知道诺曼怎么了。
7. Do you know what those idiots have done?
   你知道那些傻瓜做了些什么吗？
8. We had never seen anything like it before and could not see what to do next
   我们以前从没见过这样的事情，不知道接下来要做些什么。
9. What precisely triggered off yesterday's riot is still unclear
   究竟是什么引发了昨天的骚乱还不清楚。
10. What I wanted, more than anything, was a few days 'rest
    我最想要的就是能休息几天。
11. What she does possess is the ability to get straight to the core of a problem.
    她确实有直入问题本质的能力。
12. Meanwhile, most young people in the West are expected to leave what could be life's most momentous decision — marriage — almost entirely up to luck.
    同时，人们认为西方的大多数年轻人把婚姻这一可能是人生最重要的决定几乎完全交由命运来安排。
13. He drinks what is left in his glass as if it were water
    他把杯子里剩下的东西当水一样全喝了下去。
14. 'Dad?' — 'What?' — 'Can I have the car tonight?'
    “爸爸？”——“什么事？”——“我今晚能用车吗？”
15. 'They could paint this place,' she said. 'What?' he asked.
    “他们可以粉刷这个地方，”她说。“什么？”他问。
16. What a horrible thing to do
    做这样的事简直太可怕了！
17. It's, what, eleven years or more since he's seen him
    打从他上次见他，已有，嗯，11年甚至更久了。
18. Guess what? I'm going to dinner at Mrs. Combley's tonight
    你猜怎么着？今晚我要去康伯利夫人家里赴宴。
19. 'I skipped off school today,' — 'So what? What's so special about that?'
    “我今天逃学了。”——“那又怎样？有什么特别的吗？”
20. Tell you what, let's stay here another day.
    我想，我们可以在这里再呆一天。
21. What about going out with me tomorrow?
    明天和我一起出去怎么样？
22. Now you've talked about work on daffodils, what about other commercially important flowers, like roses?
    既然你们已谈到了种植水仙花，那么其他具有重要商业价值的花卉呢，比如玫瑰？
23. 'This thing with the Corbett woman.' —'Oh, yeah. What about her? '
    “是跟那个科比特家的女人有关的事。”——“哦，是吗，她怎么了？”
24. So many things are unsafe these days — milk, cranberry sauce, what have you
    现如今很多食品都不安全——牛奶、蓝莓酱等等。
25. What if this doesn't work out?
    如果这个不行怎么办？
26. You have to know what's what and when to draw the line
    你必须搞清状况以及自己的底线。
27. Maybe they are tired, what with all the sleep they're losing staying up night after night
    也许他们是太累了，考虑到他们成宿成宿地熬夜。
28. 'I'm going to have problems sleeping tonight.' — 'You what?'
    “今晚我可能睡不着。”——“不会吧？”

det.

and what not

and what have you

• 以及其他同样的东西；诸如此类
  and other things of the same type
  1. It's full of old toys, books and what not.
     这里全都是旧玩具、书籍，以及诸如此类的东西。

get/give sb what for

• （受到）严惩；（被）痛打一顿，申斥一顿
  to be punished/punish sb severely
  1. I'll give her what for if she does that again.
     她若再这样做，看我怎么收拾她。

or what

• （强调看法）
  used to emphasize your opinion
  1. Is he stupid or what?
     他真是傻透了。
• （表示不肯定）还是别的什么
  used when you are not sure about sth
  1. I don't know if he's a teacher or what.
     我不知道他是个教师还是别的什么。
  2. Are we going now or what?
     我们现在走还是不走？

what?

• （没听见或没听懂时说）什么
  used when you have not heard or have not understood sth
  1. What? I can't hear you.
     什么？我听不见你说话。
• （听到对方的话并问他们要什么）什么事，要什么
  used to show that you have heard sb and to ask what they want
  1. ‘Mummy!’ ‘What?’ ‘I'm thirsty.’
     “妈咪！”“什么事？”“我渴。”
• （惊讶或愤怒时说）什么，竟有这种事，真的
  used to express surprise or anger
  1. ‘It will cost $500.’ ‘What?’
     “这东西要花500元。”“真的？”
  2. ‘I asked her to marry me.’ ‘ You what? ’
     “我向她求婚了。”“你说什么？”

what about…?

• （提出建议）…怎么样
  used to make a suggestion
  1. What about a trip to France?
     到法国去旅游一趟如何？
• （用以引出话题）…怎么样
  used to introduce sb/sth into the conversation
  1. What about you, Joe? Do you like football?
     你呢，乔？你喜欢足球吗？

what-d'you-call-him/-her/-it/-them

what's-his/-her/-its/-their-name

• （记不得名字时说）你叫他（或她、它、他们）什么来着
  used instead of a name that you cannot remember
  1. She's just gone out with old what-d'you-call-him.
     她刚和老——你叫他什么来着——一块出去了。

what for?

• 为何目的；为何理由
  for what purpose or reason?
  1. What is this tool for?
     这个工具是干什么用的？
  2. What did you do that for (= why did you do that) ?
     你为何做那事？
  3. ‘I need to see a doctor.’ ‘What for?’
     “我得去看医生。”“看什么病？”

what if…?

• 要是…会怎么样呢
  what would happen if?
  1. What if the train is late?
     火车要是晚点会怎么样呢？
  2. What if she forgets to bring it?
     要是她忘记带来，会怎么样呢？

what of it?

• （承认某事属实，想知道为何重要）那又怎么样呢，那有什么关系呢
  used when admitting that sth is true, to ask why it should be considered important
  1. Yes, I wrote the article. What of it?
     是的，文章是我写的。那又怎么样呢？

what's what

• 什么事物有用（或重要等）
  what things are useful, important, etc.
  1. She certainly knows what's what.
     她当然知道轻重缓急。

what's with sb?

• （询问某人为何行为古怪）…怎么啦
  used to ask why sb is behaving in a strange way
  1. What's with you? You haven't said a word all morning.
     你怎么啦？整个上午你一句话都没说。

what's with sth?

• （询问原因）为什么，怎么
  used to ask the reason for sth
  1. What's with all this walking? Can't we take a cab?
     怎么就这么一直走？难道我们就不能打辆出租车吗？

what with sth

• （列举各种理由）由于，因为
  used to list the various reasons for sth
  1. What with the cold weather and my bad leg, I haven't been out for weeks.
     由于天气很冷，我的腿又不好，我已经好几个星期没有出门了。