# 嘛

| 嘛 | U+561B, &#22043; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-561B |
| ← 嘚 [U+561A] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 嘜 → [U+561C] |

## Translingual
### Han character

嘛 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+11, 14 strokes, cangjie input 口戈木木 (RIDD) or 口戈十金 (RIJC), four-corner 6009$_4$, composition ⿰口麻)

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: not present, would follow page 206, character 20
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 4230
* Dae Jaweon: page 429, character 19
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 678, character 7
* Unihan data for U+561B

## Chinese
### Etymology 1
#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): ma (ma$^5$／ma$^0$)
    (Zhuyin): ˙ㄇㄚ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): maa$^3$
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): --ma / --mah
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: ma
*** Zhuyin: ˙ㄇㄚ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: må
*** Wade–Giles: ma$^5$
*** Yale: ma
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: .ma
*** Palladius: ма (ma)
*** Sinological IPA : /mä/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: maa$^3$
*** Yale: ma
*** Cantonese Pinyin: maa$^3$
*** Guangdong Romanization: ma$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /maː³³/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Singapore)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: --ma
*** Tâi-lô: --ma
** (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: --mah
*** Tâi-lô: --mah

#### Definitions

嘛
* (suggests that the preceding is obvious, sometimes impatient in tone): Of course!
    這樣才對嘛！／这样才对嘛！ ― Zhèyàng cái duì ma! ― That's how it should be!
    nei$^5$ zi$^1$ maa$^3$. lam$^4$ zai$^2$ hai$^6$ dak$^6$ dang$^1$ lai$^4$ tai$^2$ nei$^5$ gaa$^3$. [Jyutping]
    Young Lam has come to specially see you. You already know this of course.
* Signals a pause in a sentence, sometimes used to get the listener's attention.
    你嘛，不必去。 ― Nǐ ma, bùbì qù. ― You, don't need to go.
    Shénme ma, wǒ hái yǐwèi dìzhèn le. [Pinyin]
    What? I thought there was an earthquake.
* Used at the end of an imperative or request to express expectation or dissuasion.
    別著急嘛。／别着急嘛。 ― Bié zhāojí ma. ― Don't worry.

#### Descendants

* → English: mah

### Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Similar but maybe unrelated to Zhuang maz”)

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): má (ma$^2$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄇㄚˊ
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: má
*** Zhuyin: ㄇㄚˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: má
*** Wade–Giles: ma$^2$
*** Yale: má
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ma
*** Palladius: ма (ma)
*** Sinological IPA : /mä³⁵/
** (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed) (嘛兒 / 嘛儿)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: már
*** Zhuyin: ㄇㄚˊㄦ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: már
*** Wade–Giles: ma$^2$-ʼrh
*** Yale: már
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mal
*** Palladius: мар (mar)
*** Sinological IPA : /mɑɻ³⁵/

#### Definitions

嘛
* (dialectal) what

##### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 何 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 什麼, 恁麼 obsolete |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 什麼, 嗎兒 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 什麼 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Chengde | 什麼 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Chifeng | 啥 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Hulunbuir (Hailar) | 什麼, 啥 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Heihe | 什麼, 啥 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Qiqihar | 什麼, 啥 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 什麼, 啥 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Jiamusi | 什麼, 啥 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Baicheng | 啥 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Changchun | 啥 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Tonghua | 啥 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Shenyang | 什麼, 啥 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Jinzhou | 什麼, 啥 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 什麼 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 什麼 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tianjin | 嗎 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tangshan | 啥 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Cangzhou | 什麼, 嗎 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Baoding | 什麼 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Shijiazhuang | 啥 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Lijin | 啥, 啥稿兒 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Weifang (Weicheng) | 啥, 什麼 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Weifang (Fangzi) | 什麼 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Changle | 啥, 什麼 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Shouguang | 啥嘎 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Rizhao | 什麼 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Wulian | 什麼 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 麼兒, 麼, 什麼, 麼個 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Dalian | 什麼 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Dandong | 什麼, 啥 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai | 什麼 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 麼, 麼個 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Qingdao | 什麼 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Weifang (Hanting) | 什麼 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Changyi | 什麼 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Gaomi | 什麼 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Zhucheng | 什麼 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Anqiu | 什麼 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Linqu | 什麼 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Qingzhou | 啥, 什麼嘎 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 啥 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Lingbao | 啥兒 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Jining | 什麼 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 色 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Linfen | 啥 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Shangqiu | 啥 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Yuanyang | 什麼 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Zhengzhou | 啥 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xinyang | 啥 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Baihe | 啥 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 什麼, 啥 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Baoji | 啥, 咋麼 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Tianshui | 啥 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xining | 啥 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 什麼, 啥, 啥子 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Fuyang | 什麼, 啥 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan) | 啥 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 什麼, 啥 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Lanzhou | 什麼, 啥 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Dunhuang | 啥 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Hami | 什麼, 啥 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 啥 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 啥子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Nanchong | 啥, 啥子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Dazhou | 啥子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Hanyuan | 啥, 啥子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Xichang | 啥子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Zigong | 啥子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chongqing | 啥子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 麼事 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Yichang | 什麼兒 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Xiangyang | 什麼, 啥子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Tianmen | 什麼, 什麼的 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Lhasa | 啥子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 哪樣 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Zunyi | 啷個, 啥子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Bijie | 哪樣, 啷子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liping | 甚子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Zhaotong | 什麼, 啥子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Dali | 咋個 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Kunming | 什麼, 哪樣 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Mengzi | 哪樣 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 什麼 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin (Lingui) | 什麼 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guanyang | 什麼 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 什麼 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou (Luorong) | 什麼 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Jishou | 什麼 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Changde | 麼得 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Xiangtan (Jiangnan Industries Group koine) | 麼子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Hanzhong | 啥子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Dagudi (Maliba) | 什麼 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Reshuitang (Longling) | 什麼 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Mae Salong (Lancang) | 哪樣, 什麼 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Mae Sai (Tengchong) | 什麼 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 什麼 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 什麼 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Lianyungang | 什麼 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Lianshui | 什麼 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nantong | 甚呢 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Anqing | 什麼, 麼東西 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Wuhu | 什麼 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 什麼, 哄, 哄個 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hong'an | 什麼, 麼事, 麼東西 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 乜嘢, 咩嘢, 乜, 咩 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 乜嘢, 咩嘢, 乜, 咩 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou) | 咩嘢 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Ting Kok) | 咩嘢 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) | 咩嘢 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 乜 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 乜 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 乜 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 乜, 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Taishan (Guanghai) | 乜, 乜嘎 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 乜, 乜啊, 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 乜嘢, 乜 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Dapeng) | 乜嘢, 乜 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 乜, 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Wuzhou | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Hepu (Lianzhou) | 物底 |
| Cantonese | Guiping | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Mengshan (Xihe) | 什麼 |
| Cantonese | Beiliu (Tangliao) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Baise | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Qinzhou | 乜嘢, 乜 |
| Cantonese | Qinzhou (Xiniujiao) | 乜底 |
| Cantonese | Beihai | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Nankang) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Yingpan) | 乜底 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Hengzhou | 哪門 |
| Cantonese | Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 乜嘢, 咩 |
| Cantonese | Penang (Guangfu) | 乜嘢, 咩 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 乜嘢, 咩, 乜 |
| Cantonese | Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Móng Cái | 乜嘢 |
| Cantonese | Yangon (Taishan) | 乜 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 什哩 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 什仔 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 咋個 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Xingning | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Dabu (Gaobei) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Fengshun (Tangkeng) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Fengshun (Fengliang) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Fengshun (Pantian) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) | 乜嘢 |
| Hakka | Huiyang | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Huidong (Daling) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 乜嘢 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Huacheng) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Wengyuan | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Nanxiong (Zhuji) | 什麼 |
| Hakka | Shaoguan (Qujiang) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Liannan | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Jiexi | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Luhe | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Changting | 麼個, 什西哩, 什西 |
| Hakka | Wuping | 麼個, 麼事 |
| Hakka | Wuping (Pingyu) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Liancheng | 麼個, 什麼 |
| Hakka | Ninghua | 什麼 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 子個 |
| Hakka | Ruijin | 咩, 唔幾 |
| Hakka | Shicheng | 什麼 |
| Hakka | Shangyou (Shexi) | 哪個, 哪項, 個哪, 哪 |
| Hakka | Tonggu (Sandu) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Ganzhou (Panlong) | 什麼 |
| Hakka | Dayu | 什麼 |
| Hakka | Taoyuan | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Nantou (Guoxing; Lufeng) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Hong Kong | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Mengshan (Xihe) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Luchuan | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Senai (Huiyang) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Kuching (Hepo) | 乜個 |
| Hakka | Singkawang | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Pontianak (Meixian) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Singapore (Dabu) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Bangkok (Meixian) | 麼個 |
| Hakka | Bangkok (Fengshun) | 麼個 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 麼仂 |
| Huizhou | Shexian | 麼二 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 甚 |
| Jin | Yangyuan | 什麼, 啥, 咋, 甚 |
| Jin | Datong | 啥 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 甚 |
| Jin | Lüliang (Lishi) | 甚 |
| Jin | Changzhi | 什麼 |
| Jin | Linhe | 什麼, 甚 |
| Jin | Jining | 甚 |
| Jin | Hohhot | 甚 |
| Jin | Erenhot | 什麼, 甚 |
| Jin | Pingshan | 什麼兒 |
| Jin | Zhangjiakou | 什麼 |
| Jin | Handan | 什麼, 啥 |
| Jin | Linzhou | 啥 |
| Jin | Suide | 什麼, 甚 |
| Jiuxing Yumin | Lanxi | 啥哩 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 孰事, 孰麼, 孰麼事 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou (Dikou) | 橘二, 橘二事 |
| Northern Min | Songxi | 什麼事 |
| Northern Min | Jianyang | 孰事 |
| Northern Min | Wuyishan | 什麼事 |
| Northern Min | Pucheng (Shibei) | 孰麼, 孰, 孰麼事, 孰事, 孰麼契, 孰契 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 什乇, 什名, 什乇名, 面乇名 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou (Changle) | 什乇 |
| Eastern Min | Fuqing | 什乇, 乜乇 |
| Eastern Min | Pingtan | 什乇 |
| Eastern Min | Yongtai | 哪乇 |
| Eastern Min | Gutian | 乇, 什乇 |
| Eastern Min | Fu'an | 乜乇 |
| Eastern Min | Ningde | 哪乇 |
| Eastern Min | Shouning | 呢乇 |
| Eastern Min | Zhouning | 乜乇 |
| Eastern Min | Fuding | 哪乇 |
| Eastern Min | Matsu | 什乇 |
| Eastern Min | Singapore (Fuqing) | 什乇 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 什物, 啥物, 啥貨 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen (Tong'an) | 什物 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 啥物, 乜 |
| Southern Min | Jinjiang | 啥物 |
| Southern Min | Nan'an | 什物 |
| Southern Min | Shishi | 啥物 |
| Southern Min | Hui'an | 什物 |
| Southern Min | Anxi | 啥物 |
| Southern Min | Yongchun | 啥物 |
| Southern Min | Dehua | 啥物 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 哪貨仔, 哪貨, 哪仔, 哪物仔, 哪物, 什物, 啥物, 啥貨, 啥物仔, 啥貨仔 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou (Longhai) | 啥物, 啥 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou (Changtai) | 啥 |
| Southern Min | Hua'an | 什物 |
| Southern Min | Nanjing | 哪物 |
| Southern Min | Pinghe | 啥物 |
| Southern Min | Zhangpu | 啥貨 |
| Southern Min | Yunxiao | 什物仔 |
| Southern Min | Zhao'an | 什物 |
| Southern Min | Dongshan | 什物 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 啥貨, 啥物, 啥 |
| Southern Min | Taipei (Wanhua) | 啥物 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 啥 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 啥, 啥貨, 啥物 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung (Cijin) | 啥物, 啥 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung (Hongmaogang, Siaogang) | 啥物, 啥 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung (Dalinpu, Siaogang) | 啥物, 啥 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 啥貨, 啥物貨 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 啥物, 啥貨 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 啥, 啥貨 |
| Southern Min | Taichung (Wuqi) | 啥物 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 啥物, 啥貨 |
| Southern Min | Taitung | 啥物 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 啥, 啥物 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 啥貨, 啥物, 什物, 物代 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 啥貨, 物代 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 何物 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 什物 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 啥物 |
| Southern Min | Medan (Hokkien) | 何物 |
| Southern Min | Longyan | 什物 |
| Southern Min | Datian | 啥貨, 什物 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 乜個, 乜 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 乜個, 乜 |
| Southern Min | Shantou (Chenghai) | 乜個 |
| Southern Min | Shantou (Chaoyang) | 乜個 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 乜個, 乜, 是乜 |
| Southern Min | Haifeng | 乜個, 乜 |
| Southern Min | Bangkok (Teochew) | 乜個 |
| Southern Min | Phnom Penh (Teochew) | 乜個 |
| Southern Min | Ho Chi Minh City (Teochew) | 乜個 |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 乜個 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 乜個, 什乜, 底個 |
| Southern Min | Batam (Teochew) | 乜個, 什乜, 底個 |
| Southern Min | Pontianak (Teochew) | 乜個 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 乜 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 乜 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 乜, 個乜 |
| Southern Min | Qionghai | 乜 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 乜 |
| Puxian Min | Putian | 甚麼 |
| Central Min | Yong'an | 啥貨 |
| Central Min | Sanming (Sanyuan) | 啥貨 |
| Central Min | Sanming (Shaxian) | 啥貨 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Sanxiang) | 乜儗 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 門, 哪門 |
| Southern Pinghua | Binyang (Xinqiao) | 哪門 |
| Waxiang | Guzhang (Gaofeng) | 什個 |
| Waxiang | Luxi (Lijiatian) | 什家 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 啥, 啥個, 啥物事 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Xinzhuang, Minhang) | 啥物 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Nanhui, Pudong) | 啥物事 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Fengxian) | 啥物 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Jinshan) | 做啥 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Qingpu) | 哈個 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 何, 何物, 何物事 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 啥, 啥個, 啥物事 |
| Wu | Wuxi | 啥, 啥個, 啥物事, 啥物 |
| Wu | Danyang | 點高 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 啥 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 啥, 啥西 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 何乜 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 待, 淡 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 麼子 |
| Xiang | Loudi | 麼子 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 麼子 |
| Xiang | Quanzhou | 什麼 |
| Xiang | Guanyang (Wenshi) | 啥 |

#### Compounds

* 嘛兒 / 嘛儿 (már)
* 幹嘛 / 干嘛

### Etymology 3
#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): ma (ma$^5$／ma$^0$)
    (Zhuyin): ˙ㄇㄚ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): maa$^4$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: ma
*** Zhuyin: ˙ㄇㄚ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: må
*** Wade–Giles: ma$^5$
*** Yale: ma
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: .ma
*** Palladius: ма (ma)
*** Sinological IPA : /mä/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: maa$^4$
*** Yale: màh
*** Cantonese Pinyin: maa$^4$
*** Guangdong Romanization: ma$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /maː²¹/

#### Definitions

嘛
* Only used in 喇嘛 (lǎma).

##### Compounds

* 喇嘛 (lǎma)
* 喇嘛教 (Lǎmajiào)
* 燒喇嘛 / 烧喇嘛
* 班禪喇嘛 / 班禅喇嘛 (bānchán lǎma)
* 達賴喇嘛 / 达赖喇嘛 (dálài lǎma)

### Etymology 4

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

#### Pronunciation

* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): ma / mà
    (Hailu, HRS): ma$^ˇ$
* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): mā / mǎ
* Hakka
** (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ma
*** Hakka Romanization System: ma
*** Hagfa Pinyim: ma$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /ma⁵⁵/
** (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: mà
*** Hakka Romanization System: ma$^ˇ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: ma$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /ma¹¹/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: ma$^ˇ$
*** Sinological IPA: /ma¹¹/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: mā
*** Tâi-lô: mā
*** Phofsit Daibuun: ma
*** IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /mã³³/
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /mã²²/
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Philippines)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: mǎ
*** Tâi-lô: mǎ
*** IPA (Jinjiang): /mã³³/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /mã²²/
*** IPA (Philippines): /ma³³/

#### Definitions

嘛
* (Hokkien, Taiwanese Hakka) also
    無魚蝦嘛好／无鱼虾嘛好 [Hokkien] ― bô hî hê mā hó [Pe̍h-ōe-jī] ― If there are no fish, prawns are also good.
* (Hokkien, Taiwanese Hakka) still; nevertheless
** 2014, 黃瑋傑 (lyrics and music), “阿芳仔个家族農業史”, in 《天光。日》‎, performed by 黃瑋傑:
       án kiâng mà oi ho̍k to voi [Pha̍k-fa-sṳ]
       However scared, he still had to learn

##### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 亦 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 也 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 也 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 也 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 也 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 也 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 也 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 也 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 也 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 也 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 也 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 也 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 也 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 都, 亦 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 都, 亦, 亦都 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 都, 亦 formal |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 都, 也 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 亦 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 亦, 都, 亦都 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 也 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 都 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 都, 亦都 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 也 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 也 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Meilin) | 也 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 乜 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 乜, 也 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 乜 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 乜 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 乜 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 嘛 |
| Hakka | Kuching (Hepo) | 呠 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 也 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 也 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 也 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 也 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 也, 嘛 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 也, 嘛 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 也, 嘛 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 也, 嘛 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 呠 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 也, 呠, 嘛 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 也, 嘛, 閣 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 也 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 也 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 也 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 呠, 也, 嘛 |
| Southern Min | Pontianak (Teochew) | 也 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 也 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 都 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 也 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 亦 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 也 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 也 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 也 |

#### Compounds

* 無魚，蝦嘛好 / 无鱼，虾嘛好

### Etymology 5
#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): má (ma$^2$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄇㄚˊ
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: má
*** Zhuyin: ㄇㄚˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: má
*** Wade–Giles: ma$^2$
*** Yale: má
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ma
*** Palladius: ма (ma)
*** Sinological IPA : /mä³⁵/

#### Definitions

嘛
* Only used in 唵嘛呢叭咪吽 (ǎn mānī bēimēi hōng).

### Etymology 6
#### Pronunciation

* Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): mà
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, General Taiwanese)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: mà
*** Tâi-lô: mà
*** Phofsit Daibuun: max
*** IPA (Xiamen, Kaohsiung): /mã²¹/
*** IPA (Quanzhou): /mã⁴¹/
*** IPA (Taipei): /mã¹¹/

#### Definitions

嘛
* Only used in 嘛嘛吼 (mamahǒu).

### References

* “嘛”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
* “嘛”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.

## Japanese
### Kanji

(Hyōgai kanji)
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

#### Readings

* Go-on: め (me)
* Kan-on: ば (ba)
* Kan’yō-on: ま (ma)

## Korean
### Hanja

嘛 • (ma) (hangeul 마, revised ma, McCune–Reischauer ma, Yale ma)
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

## Vietnamese
### Han character

嘛: Hán Nôm readings: ma
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

#### References

* Nom Foundation