呢 (ne) — continuation question particle

呢 (ne)

呢 is a sentence-final particle used to ask a follow-up question ("and what about you/it?"), to soften a statement, or to indicate that a situation is ongoing.

Meanings

1. [particle] Continuation question: "And what about...?" — bounces the topic back to the listener.
2. [particle] Softener: makes a statement or question sound less abrupt.
3. [particle] Ongoing state: indicates that a situation is still in progress (e.g., 他睡觉呢, He is sleeping).

Example Sentences

我很好，你呢？ Wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne? I am doing well, and you?

他在哪里呢？ Tā zài nǎlǐ ne? Where is he? (softened, wondering tone)

你的书呢？ Nǐ de shū ne? What about your book? / Where is your book?

他睡觉呢，别打扰他。 Tā shuìjiào ne, bié dǎrǎo tā. He is sleeping — do not disturb him.

Usage Notes

呢 is most commonly used after a topic to ask "and what about [topic]?" without repeating the full question. This is called the 呢 question. Unlike 吗, which requires a full sentence before it, 呢 can follow a single word or noun phrase to create an implied question. 呢 also softens the tone of a question, making it sound curious or gentle rather than demanding. It cannot be used for simple yes/no questions — use 吗 for those.

Collocations or Common Phrases

Memory Hook

呢 has the mouth radical — it is the soft murmur at the end of a question, as if you are thinking aloud and asking gently.