Simple rhetorical questions

Structure

Examples

• 不是在桌子上吗？
  Bù shì zài zhuōzi shàng ma?
  Isn't that it on the table?
• 不是已经告诉你了吗？
  Bù shì yǐjīng gàosu nǐ le ma?
  Haven't I told you that already?
• 他每天穿得都很少，能不感冒吗？
  Tā měi tiān chuān de dōu hěn shǎo, néng bù gǎnmào ma?
  He never dresses warmly. How could he not catch a cold?
• 你起得这么晚，能不迟到吗？
  Nǐ qǐ de zhème wǎn, néng bù chídào ma?
  You got up so late, how could you not be late?
• 晚上吃这么多菜，能不胖吗？
  Wǎnshang chī zhème duō cài, néng bù pàng ma?
  Eating so much food at night, how could I not gain weight?

Words that use this

• 不是bù shinot be; No!; to V2, not V1; if not A, then B; either A or B
• 能néngcan; to be able to; might possibly; ability; (physics) energy