玩意儿 wányìr thing; gadget; plaything (spoken, erhua)
How to remember 玩意儿: 玩 play + 意 idea + 儿 son = thing; gadget; plaything (spoken, erhua).
Characters
How it is used
- Colloquial 'thing / gadget / gizmo' - 这是什么玩意儿? (zhè shì shénme wányìr?) what the heck is this thing?
- Very casual, northern-flavored (note the -r ending); can be dismissive or affectionate depending on tone.
- Also used of people/acts contemptuously: 他算什么玩意儿 (what kind of nobody is he); avoid in formal writing.
Example sentences
- 你知道怎么驾驶这玩意儿吗？ Nǐ zhīdào zěnme jiàshǐ zhè wányìér ma?Do you know how to drive this thing?