"这是什么？"

Translation: What is this?

[Andrew-Lin]

這是什麼？

[Paul834534]

Traditional Chinese

[artificialyen]

owo whats this ?

[Mk_.]

Heyy fokin' called it m8

[nckiy]

What is this? Who are you? Where am I?

[stephleest]

What does this have to do with family?

[PaulBobenh]

Wait so this can be used as a 'What is this' as you might say if you just discovered an elaborate plot to kill you, Or is it more like 'What is this item'?

[micahnewman]

I'm not certain, but I suspect it's just for items.

[NickA.12]

It seems to me that this is a Chinese lesson

[Brian894876]

♫ "This is a rock song!" ♬

[GesaFlif]

Can someone help me, i don't understand why sometimes there is an additional character after the 这 which looks like 个 when you say "this". But it doesn't appear here. Why is that and is there an easy way to remember?

[josizzle]

My understanding (and my Chinese isn't particularly great) is that 这个 is a pronoun where as 这 alone is a demonstrative. It can be difficult to understand because English doesn't differentiate (if you speak Spanish, it would be like 这=esto and 这个=ésto).

The more granular explanation is that 个 is one of a class of words known (i believe) as "counters" or "counting words" (they're EVERYWHERE in East and Southeast Asian Languages). Basically, when you are counting things there is a "classifier" that you have to add (think, like "200 head of cattle" in English). The word 这 is a demonstrative meaning "this"... When you add a classifier (here: 这个) you are no longer just saying "this," you are saying "this one (of this type of thing)".

I hope that didn't just make matters worse... And PLEASE correct me if I'm off fellow learners!!!

[josizzle]

Okay... I think I actually got it exactly backwards... 这个 would be the demonstrative while 这 would be the pronoun. 对不起!!! 就像我说的，我普通话说的不好! :-/

[stupedfatidiot]

Would chinese people use this as to say "what the hell" and stuff like this??

[vlad0x]

I got no hanzi for shi, so it was impossible to get it right

[Sky_Larme]

Please, help with prononciaiton!!! how does this 这 word actually sound? i can't understand it at all (((

[micahnewman]

"zhè" (downward tone)

[jonas831902]

What is that should be allowed im learning chinese not english

[EliseLebla3]

Duolingo is like in the shadows

[Jane351981]

Why is it What not who? Na is what, surely?

[tov.Nazarov]

"What is it" wasn't accepted

[SerpilAnth]

What is this..is the correct answer but dint ask me why...lol