难道…吗 nándào…ma

难道…吗（nándào…ma）means “could it be that…? (rhetorical)”. "难道…吗" forms a rhetorical question that expects no real answer; it strongly asserts the opposite of what is literally said. Formation: 难道 + 句子 + 吗（反问）

could it be that…? (rhetorical)

HSK4

Formation

难道 + 句子 + 吗（反问）

Explanation

"难道…吗" forms a rhetorical question that expects no real answer; it strongly asserts the opposite of what is literally said. A positive form implies negation, and a negative form implies affirmation. 吗 closes the sentence.

Examples

难道你不知道今天是我的生日吗？
nándào nǐ bù zhīdào jīntiān shì wǒ de shēngrì ma
Do you really not know today is my birthday?
难道这都是我的错吗？
nándào zhè dōu shì wǒ de cuò ma
Is all of this really my fault?

Note

The tone is emphatic and can sound reproachful; 不成 can replace 吗 in some styles.

FAQ

难道…吗 — what does it mean and how is it used?

could it be that…? (rhetorical). "难道…吗" forms a rhetorical question that expects no real answer; it strongly asserts the opposite of what is literally said. A positive form implies negation, and a negative form implies affirmation. 吗 closes the sentence.

难道…吗 — how do you form it?

难道 + 句子 + 吗（反问）

难道…吗 — any usage notes?

The tone is emphatic and can sound reproachful; 不成 can replace 吗 in some styles.

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