# 谁 shéi versus 什么人 shénmerén



## piano0011

According to my book, it says that shenmeren has a more harsher tone than shei2.. so, would it be better to say..

ni jian le shei? = who did you meet?

or

ni pengjian le shei? = who did you bump into?

I guess shenmeren does sound a bit more harsh....


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## Ukihime

Yes you're right. "什么人“ is mostly used when you want to figure out something or you are questioning someone's identity.
谁 is more common.


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## piano0011

Ukihime said:


> Yes you're right. "什么人“ is mostly used when you want to figure out something or you are questioning someone's identity.
> 谁 is more common.


ok... thanks for clarifying that up!


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## johnshen64

誰 is neutral and asks who the person is

Be careful with 什么人, as it often has a condescending tone and challenges your status, authority, etc., sometimes it could even be hostile.

Say you are trying to break up a fight, if they challenge you with 你是什么人？ It is stronger than saying 你是誰.


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## piano0011

johnshen64 said:


> 誰 is neutral and asks who the person is
> 
> Be careful with 什么人, as it often has a condescending tone and challenges your status, authority, etc., sometimes it could even be hostile.
> 
> Say you are trying to break up a fight, if they challenge you with 你是什么人？ It is stronger than saying 你是誰.


ah.... so i will hear this more in kung fu movies.....also, is this stronger than saying... ni shi nali ren?


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## SuperXW

I agree with others.
Their literal meanings:
shei - "who"
shenme ren - "what people", sounds like "what kind of people are they?"


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## piano0011

piano0011 said:


> ah.... so i will hear this more in kung fu movies.....





SuperXW said:


> I agree with others.
> Their literal meanings:
> shei - "who"
> shenme ren - "what people", sounds like "what kind of people are they?"


how about ni shi nali ren? Is this also as strong as ni shi shenme ren?


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## SuperXW

piano0011 said:


> ah.... so i will hear this more in kung fu movies.....also, is this stronger than saying... ni shi nali ren?


nali = where
ni shi nali ren? = where are you from
The meaning is different from ni shi shenme ren.


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## johnshen64

你是哪裡人 is different. It means "where are you from". It could be regional (南京人） or international （英國人）.


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## piano0011

johnshen64 said:


> 你是哪裡人 is different. It means "where are you from". It could be regional (南京人） or international （英國人）.


but ni shi nali ren ? also mean where are you from?


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## SuperXW

piano0011 said:


> but ni shi nali ren ? also mean where are you from?


That's exactly what we were talking about.
Check your pinyin to see if you've confused nali with shenme.


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## piano0011

SuperXW said:


> That's exactly what we were talking about.
> Check your pinyin to see if you've confused nali with shenme.


i guess if one were to asked... ni shi nali ren? you would answer with a country... I am from Australia etc...

ni shi shenme ren.... just means who are you... ok... gotcha..


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## SuperXW

piano0011 said:


> i guess if one were to asked... ni shi nali ren? you would answer with a country... I am from Australia etc...
> 
> ni shi shenme ren.... just means who are you... ok... gotcha..


Basically, yes.
ni shi shenme ren is quite hostile, like asking "who the hell are you? / what's your business here?" etc. I would probably answer 关你屁事? "it's not your farting business."


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## piano0011

SuperXW said:


> Basically, yes.
> ni shi shenme ren is quite hostile, like asking "who the hell are you? / what's your business here?" etc. I would probably answer 关你屁事? "it's not your farting business."


my book says that i can say...ni bu guan... = none of your business.... correct?


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## SuperXW

piano0011 said:


> my book says that i can say...ni bu guan... = none of your business.... correct?


In most cases, "none of your business" is translated as "bu4 guan1 ni3 shi4".


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## piano0011

SuperXW said:


> In most cases, "none of your business" is translated as "bu4 guan1 ni3 shi4".


sorry... should be ni bie guan...


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## SuperXW

piano0011 said:


> sorry... should be ni bie guan...


I doubted that. Yes. ni bie guan is one possible answer.


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