Question Words as Non-Questions: 谁都, 什么都
A question word stops asking a question when it is followed by 都 or 也 before the verb, and then it covers everything. 谁都 means everyone, 什么都 means everything, and with a negative 哪里也 and 怎么也 mean nowhere and no matter how.
In English
A question word followed by 都 or 也 before the verb stops asking a question and covers everything. 谁都 means everyone, or no one with a negative, and 什么都 means everything, or nothing with a negative. 哪里也 and 怎么也 only go with a negative and mean nowhere and no matter how.
都 works in positive and negative sentences, while 也 is used for the negative only. The whole phrase sits before the verb, so 我谁都不认识 is correct.
疑问词 + 都 = 泛指肯定（”每个/什么都”）
疑问词 + 也 = 泛指否定（配合否定动词）
| 疑问词 | 都（肯定） | 也（否定） |
|--------|-----------|----------|
| 谁 | 谁都知道 (everyone knows) | 谁也不知道 (no one knows) |
| 什么 | 什么都有 (has everything) | 什么也没有 (has nothing) |
| 哪里 | 哪里都去过 (been everywhere) | 哪里也不去 (go nowhere) |
| 怎么 | 怎么都行 (any way is fine) | 怎么也不懂 (can't understand no matter what) |
关键规则： 否定句用 也，肯定句用 都。两者不能互换。
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 谁都喜欢吃好吃的东西。 | Shuí dōu xǐ huān chī hǎo chī de dōng xi. | Everyone likes to eat delicious food. | 谁都 = everyone; affirmative verb, so use 都 |
| 他今天不舒服，哪里也不想去。 | Tā jīn tiān bù shū fu, nǎ li yě bù xiǎng qù. | He doesn't feel well today and doesn't want to go anywhere. | 哪里也 + 不 = nowhere; negative verb requires 也 |
| 这道题太难了，我怎么也想不明白。 | Zhè dào tí tài nán le, wǒ zěn me yě xiǎng bù míng bái. | This question is too hard; I can't figure it out no matter what. | 怎么也 + 负面结果 = no matter how, still can't |
| 冰箱里什么都没有，我们得去买东西了。 | Bīng xiāng lǐ shén me dōu méi yǒu, wǒ men děi qù mǎi dōng xi le. | There's nothing at all in the fridge; we need to go shopping. | 什么都没有 = nothing; 都 is used even in negative existential sentences |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
谁都 (shéi dōu)
Means everyone, or with a negative, no one at all.
Structure: 谁 + 都 + verb (before the verb)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 这个消息谁都不知道。 | Zhè gè xiāo xī shéi dōu bù zhī dào. | Nobody knows this news. |
| 谁都有第一次，别紧张。 | Shéi dōu yǒu dì yī cì, bié jǐn zhāng. | Everyone has a first time, so do not be nervous. |
| 他很友好，谁都愿意跟他说话。 | Tā hěn yǒu hǎo, shéi dōu yuàn yì gēn tā shuō huà. | He is friendly and everyone is happy to talk to him. |
Not: 我不认识谁都。 The question word plus 都 goes before the verb: 我谁都不认识.
什么都 (shén me dōu)
Means everything, or with a negative, nothing at all.
Structure: 什么 + 都 + verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我今天什么都不想吃。 | Wǒ jīn tiān shén me dōu bù xiǎng chī. | I do not want to eat anything today. |
| 她什么都会做，菜也做得很好。 | Tā shén me dōu huì zuò, cài yě zuò de hěn hǎo. | She can do everything, and cooks well too. |
| 孩子什么都想试一试。 | Hái zi shén me dōu xiǎng shì yí shì. | The child wants to try everything. |
Not: 我没买什么都。 什么都 goes before the verb: 我什么都没买.
哪里也 (nǎ lǐ yě)
Means nowhere in a negative sentence.
Structure: 哪里 + 也 + 不 / 没 + verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 周末下大雨，我哪里也没去。 | Zhōu mò xià dà yǔ, wǒ nǎ lǐ yě méi qù. | It poured at the weekend and I went nowhere. |
| 我找了半天，哪里也找不到钥匙。 | Wǒ zhǎo le bàn tiān, nǎ lǐ yě zhǎo bú dào yào shi. | I searched for ages and could not find the keys anywhere. |
| 这么晚了，哪里也不开门了。 | Zhè me wǎn le, nǎ lǐ yě bù kāi mén le. | It is so late that nowhere is open. |
Not: 我哪里也去过。 哪里也 goes with a negative; for "everywhere" in a positive sentence use 都: 我哪里都去过.
怎么也 (zěn me yě)
Means no matter how, with a negative result.
Structure: 怎么 + 也 + 不 / 没 + verb or negative complement
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 这个字我怎么也写不好。 | Zhè gè zì wǒ zěn me yě xiě bù hǎo. | However I try, I cannot write this character well. |
| 他怎么也不愿意告诉我。 | Tā zěn me yě bú yuàn yì gào sù wǒ. | He just will not tell me, however I ask. |
| 今天太吵了，我怎么也睡不着。 | Jīn tiān tài chǎo le, wǒ zěn me yě shuì bù zháo. | It is so noisy today that I cannot sleep no matter what. |
Not: 我怎么也想得明白。 怎么也 needs a negative result: 我怎么也想不明白.
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
What this opens up
These patterns list Question Words as Non-Questions among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.
Questions about Question Words as Non-Questions
What does 疑问代词的任指和不定指用法 (Question Words as Non-Questions) mean in Chinese?
A question word stops asking a question when it is followed by 都 or 也 before the verb, and then it covers everything. 谁都 means everyone, 什么都 means everything, and with a negative 哪里也 and 怎么也 mean nowhere and no matter how. It is an HSK 3 grammar point.
How do you use 疑问代词的任指和不定指用法 (Question Words as Non-Questions) in a sentence?
谁都喜欢吃好吃的东西。 — Shuí dōu xǐ huān chī hǎo chī de dōng xi. — Everyone likes to eat delicious food. 谁都 = everyone; affirmative verb, so use 都.
What do you need to know before 疑问代词的任指和不定指用法 (Question Words as Non-Questions)?
Scope Adverbs (HSK 1), Wh-Questions (HSK 1). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
What does 疑问代词的任指和不定指用法 (Question Words as Non-Questions) lead to?
人家 (HSK 4). Each of them names 疑问代词的任指和不定指用法 (Question Words as Non-Questions) among its own prerequisites.
How can a question word mean "everything" or "anyone"?
When a question word is followed by 都 or 也 before the verb, it stops asking and means "all" or "any". 谁都知道 means everyone knows, and 我什么都不想吃 means I do not want anything.
When do I use 都 and when 也?
都 works in both positive and negative sentences, as in 什么都好 or 什么都不好. 也 goes only with a negative: 什么也没有. For positive "everything", use 都.
Question Words as Non-Questions is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
Start at your true level