what
Language: English
Part of speech: particle
Pronunciation: note: wine–whine merger
enpr: wŏt
homophone: Watt
homophone: watt
homophone: wot
ipa: /wɒt/
ipa: /wɔt/
note: Indic
ipa: /wʱɔʈ/
note: father-bother merger
enpr: wät
ipa: /wɑt/
ipa: /wɑt/
ipa: /wɜt/
note: Indic
ipa: /wʱɑʈ/
note: without the wine–whine merger
enpr: hwŏt
ipa: /ʍɒt/
note: without the wine–whine merger
note: wine–whine merger
enpr: wŭt
ipa: /wʌt/
note: wine–whine merger
note: as a particle;wine–whine merger
ipa: [wɐ(ː)t̚˨˩]
note: without the wine–whine merger
enpr: hwŭt
ipa: /ʍʌt/
note: without the wine–whine merger
ipa: /hɒt/
homophone: hot
Etymology: From Middle English what, from Old English hwæt (“what”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwat, from Proto-Germanic *hwat (“what”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷód (“what”), neuter form of *kʷós (“who”).
Cognate with Scots what, whit (“what”), North Frisian wat (“what”), Saterland Frisian wat (“what”), West Frisian wat (“what”), Dutch wat (“what”), Low German wat (“what”), German was (“what”), Danish hvad (“what”), Norwegian Bokmål hva (“what”), Swedish vad (“what”), Norwegian Nynorsk kva (“what”), Icelandic hvað (“what”), Latin quod (“what, which”).
Its use as a contradictory particle in colloquial Singaporean and Malaysian English is analogous to Cantonese 喎 /㖞 (wo³, etymology 2, sense 3). It is possible that this was historically reinforced by the dated use of what as a sentence-final question tag in British English.
Senses: examples: text: Pitch contour: low [wʌt˩], low-dipping [wʌt˨˩]
text: — Sian sia, nearby here don’t have library.
— The National Library is a five-minute walk from here what, no meh?
text: Most things come from Europe what.
ref: 1978, L. C. Cheong, Youth in the Army, page 142:
text: Susan: Jalan Sultan, ah? Quite far from Jurong, you know. I may not be able to get there on time.
Jackson: […] I’ll tell Beng Huat to wait for you, lah. It’s not that far, what.
ref: 1989, Eleanor Wong, Jackson on a Jaunt, or, Mistaken Identities, page 8, lines 5–9:
text: […] they can't be the same what?
ref: 2007, yansimon52, soc.culture.singapore (Usenet):
text: I told him to go to Woodlands to buy durian for me. He came back and said no durian. But he some more said-ah, he got see people selling durian in Bukit Timah. I ask him-ah. Why you never buy from Bukit Timah. On your way what.
ref: 2007, Elangovan, P, Singapore, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 85‒86:
text: boon: […] You want to go see snow or not, Ma?
mother: See for what? I open freezer can see already what.
boon: Not the same, lah… Imagine snowflakes drifting down, melting when they touch your skin. […]
ref: 2009, Jean Tay, Boom, Epigram Books, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii, page 21:
text: Aiyah, we will always chat or message what... We’ll keep in touch lah, hor?
ref: 2024, Jojo Chia, Afternoon Yuan Yang Club, Epigram Books, →ISBN:
glosses: Emphasizes the truth of an assertion made to contradict an evidently false assumption held by the listener.
examples: text: Pitch contour: low [wʌt˩], low-dipping [wʌt˨˩]
text: If it doesn’t get sunlight, it won’t grow what, so you should consider moving it closer to the window.
text: […] like Joel you can just melee what. Melee your way through if you can’t handle them […]
ref: 2018, Weimin Toh, quoting Nasir, A Multimodal Approach to Video Games and the Player Experience, Taylor & Francis, →ISBN, page 2016:
synonyms: mah
glosses: Used to invite agreement or acknowledgment when something is assumed to be straightforward or already obvious to begin with; similar in function to “right?” and “as you know”.
examples: text: Pitch contour: low [wʌt˩], low-dipping [wʌt˨˩]
text: The lava cakes are not that bad what.
synonyms: word: leh
english: less assertive
translation: less assertive
glosses: Used after a direct assertion to reinforce a disagreeing opinion.
Derived terms: sense: from all parts of speech
word: a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do
sense: from all parts of speech
word: as what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: be careful what you wish for
sense: from all parts of speech
word: be it what it would
sense: from all parts of speech
word: come what may
sense: from all parts of speech
word: dance with the one what brought ya
sense: from all parts of speech
word: dance with the one what brought you
sense: from all parts of speech
word: dance with the one what brung ya
sense: from all parts of speech
word: dance with the one what brung you
sense: from all parts of speech
word: do exactly what it says on the tin
sense: from all parts of speech
word: do what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: do you know what I'm saying
sense: from all parts of speech
word: eat what you kill
sense: from all parts of speech
word: for what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: for what it's worth
sense: from all parts of speech
word: get out what one puts in
sense: from all parts of speech
word: get what one asked for
sense: from all parts of speech
word: give someone what for
sense: from all parts of speech
word: give someone what-for
sense: from all parts of speech
word: give what for
sense: from all parts of speech
word: gods may do what cattle may not
sense: from all parts of speech
word: guess what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: hear what I'm saying
sense: from all parts of speech
word: hold come what may
sense: from all parts of speech
word: I am what I am
sense: from all parts of speech
word: if you know what I mean
sense: from all parts of speech
word: if you see what I mean
sense: from all parts of speech
word: I know you are but what am I
sense: from all parts of speech
word: in what world
sense: from all parts of speech
word: I see what you did there
sense: from all parts of speech
word: it doesn't matter what they say about you as long as they spell your name right
sense: from all parts of speech
word: it is what it is
sense: from all parts of speech
word: it's not what you know but who you know
sense: from all parts of speech
word: know what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: know what I'm saying
sense: from all parts of speech
word: know what is what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: know what o'clock it is
sense: from all parts of speech
word: know what one is about
sense: from all parts of speech
word: know what one is doing
sense: from all parts of speech
word: know what's what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: leave with the one what brought ya
sense: from all parts of speech
word: leave with the one what brought you
sense: from all parts of speech
word: leave with the one what brung ya
sense: from all parts of speech
word: leave with the one what brung you
sense: from all parts of speech
word: look what the cat dragged in
sense: from all parts of speech
word: look what the cat drug in
sense: from all parts of speech
word: look what the cat's dragged in
sense: from all parts of speech
word: much what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: much-what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: never put off until tomorrow what you can do today
sense: from all parts of speech
word: no matter what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: not know what hit one
sense: from all parts of speech
word: not know what one is missing
sense: from all parts of speech
word: now that's what I call
sense: from all parts of speech
word: now what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: one's gotta do what one's gotta do
sense: from all parts of speech
word: one's got to do what one's got to do
sense: from all parts of speech
word: on what planet
sense: from all parts of speech
word: or what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: pick up what someone is laying down
sense: from all parts of speech
word: pick up what someone is putting down
sense: from all parts of speech
word: practice what one preaches
sense: from all parts of speech
word: practise what one preaches
sense: from all parts of speech
word: reap what one sows
sense: from all parts of speech
word: say what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: say what you like
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what sticks
sense: from all parts of speech
word: show what one is made of
sense: from all parts of speech
word: smell what someone is stepping in
sense: from all parts of speech
word: so what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: tell you what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: that's what I call
sense: from all parts of speech
word: that's what I'm talking about
sense: from all parts of speech
word: that's what she said
sense: from all parts of speech
word: the heart wants what it wants
sense: from all parts of speech
word: the heart wants what the heart wants
sense: from all parts of speech
word: the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing
sense: from all parts of speech
word: them what has gets
sense: from all parts of speech
word: throw things at the wall and see what sticks
sense: from all parts of speech
word: to what do I owe the pleasure
sense: from all parts of speech
word: to what end
sense: from all parts of speech
word: up what spring
sense: from all parts of speech
word: wha
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what about
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what about the children
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what a lovely day
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what a pity
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what are friends for
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what are the odds
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what are you doing
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what are you like
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what are you looking at
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what are you smoking
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what are you waiting for
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what a shame
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what a small world
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what a way to go
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what can I do you for
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what can I say
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what can I tell you
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what can you do
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what cheer
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what color is the sun in your world
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what color is your Bugatti
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what colour is your Bugatti
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what date is it today
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what day is it today
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what did I tell you
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what did your last slave die of
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what does it matter
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what doesn't kill you makes you stronger
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what does that have to do with the price of corn
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what does that have to do with the price of fish
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what does that have to do with the price of tea in China
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what does … mean
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what do I care
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what do I know
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what-do-you-call-it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what do you know
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what do you make the time
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what do you mean
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what do you want
sense: from all parts of speech; what do you want
word: blood?
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what-d'ye-call-'em
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what-d'ye-call-it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what else is new
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what foot the shoe is on
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what for
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what gives
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what goes around comes around
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what goes on
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what goes up must come down
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what good is
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what happens on the road stays on the road
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what happens on tour stays on tour
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what has been seen cannot be unseen
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what has someone done
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what hath God wrought
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what have you
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what-have-you
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what ho
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what if
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what-if
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what-iffery
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what in tarnation
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what in the world
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what in time
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is her name
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is his name
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is more
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is that
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is the matter
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is the Wi-Fi password
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is this I don't even
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is up
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is your job
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is your name
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is your phone number
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what is your problem
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what it be
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what it do
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what it is
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what it takes
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what kind of
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what kind of music do you like
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what languages do you speak
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what-like
sense: from all parts of speech
word: whatness
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what next
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what-not
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what not
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what-not shop
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what now
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what number
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what o'clock is it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what of
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what of it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what one is made of
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what say you
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what seems to be the problem
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what should I do
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what-so-ever
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what someone said
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what someone says goes
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what's what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the actual fuck
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the crap
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the Devil
sense: from all parts of speech
word: deuce
sense: from all parts of speech
word: dickens
sense: from all parts of speech
word: hell
sense: from all parts of speech
word: heck
sense: from all parts of speech
word: fuck
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the doctor ordered
sense: from all parts of speech
word: just what the doctor ordered
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the ef
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the eff
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the fish
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the flying fuck
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the fuck ever
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the fudge
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the goodyear
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the hay
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the hey
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the shit
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what the what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what though
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what time
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what time do you make it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what time have you got
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what time is it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what up
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what was someone smoking
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what was someone thinking
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what was that
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what was your first clue
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what way the wind is blowing
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what wins on Sunday sells on Monday
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what with
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what would Jesus do
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what would you like
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what-you-call-it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what you don't know can't hurt you
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what you gain on the swings you lose on the roundabouts
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what-you-may-call-it
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what you saying
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what-you-see-is-what-you-get
sense: from all parts of speech
word: what you see is what you get
sense: from all parts of speech
word: who are you and what have you done with someone
sense: from all parts of speech
word: write-what-where
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you and what army
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you are what you eat
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you get what you pay for
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you hear what I'm saying
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you-know-what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you know what
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you know what I mean
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you know what I'm saying
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you know what they say
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you never know what you've got till it's gone
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you only get what you give
sense: from all parts of speech
word: you what
Related terms: word: wat
word: wha
word: whuh
word: woat
word: wot
word: wuh
word: wut
word: lah1–14
word: lor2–3
word: lor1
word: ah6–7
word: leh1–2
word: mah
word: leh3–6
word: one1–3
word: hor1
word: know
word: nia
word: only
word: sia
word: hor2
word: ah1–3
word: hah1–3
word: meh
word: ba2
word: leh7–11
word: ba1
word: liao
word: already
urls: https://doi.org/10.1016%2F0378-2166%2892%2990106-l
word: Gupta
urls: https://doi.org/10.1016%2F0378-2166%2892%2990106-l
word: A. F. (1992)
urls: https://doi.org/10.1016%2F0378-2166%2892%2990106-l
word: in
urls: https://doi.org/10.1016%2F0378-2166%2892%2990106-l
word: volume 18
urls: https://doi.org/10.1016%2F0378-2166%2892%2990106-l
word: number 1
urls: https://doi.org/10.1016%2F0378-2166%2892%2990106-l
word: →DOI