Hanzi Sheets
How to write 这是什么 — "What Is This" in Chinese
这是什么 (zhè shì shén me) is how you say "what is this" in Chinese. The toddler question that powers vocabulary growth. Below is each character with its pinyin and meaning, plus a free tracing worksheet you can print in seconds.
这是什么 character by character
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning in this phrase |
|---|---|---|
| 这 | zhè | this |
| 是 | shì | to be; is |
| 什 | shén | (as in 什么, what) |
| 么 | me | (as in 什么, what) |
| 这是什么 | zhè shì shén me | what is this |
Using 这是什么
这 is “this”, 是 is “is”, 什么 is “what” — 这是什么 is “what is this?”. Pointing plus this question is how toddlers harvest vocabulary: at the zoo, in picture books, at the dinner table. The answer mirrors it: 这是熊猫 (“this is a panda”).
In Traditional Chinese it is 這是什麼 — 这→這 and 么→麼. The pattern flexes in two directions: 那是什么？(“what is that?”) for things far away, and 这些是什么？(“what are these?”) with the plural 些. One question, a whole question family.
Pre-filled with 这是什么 in a tian grid with stroke-order strips. Add more words, pick a size, print.
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FAQ
How do you answer 这是什么?
Mirror the pattern: 这是 + noun. 这是什么？— 这是苹果。(“What's this?” — “It's an apple.”). For several things: 这些是苹果.
What is the difference between 这 and 那?
这 (zhè) is “this” — near the speaker; 那 (nà) is “that” — farther away. 这是什么 asks about what you are holding; 那是什么 points across the room.
How is 这是什么 written in Traditional Chinese?
這是什麼 — 这→這 and 么→麼. 是 and 什 stay the same.