安／何／何尝……？（反问）
rhetorical: how could …? when has … ever …?
Structure
安／何以 动词 …？ ／ 主语 何尝 (不) 动词 …？
What it means
Classical rhetorical questions with the answer built in. 安 and 何 work like 怎么 and 为什么; 何尝 asks “when ever?”. No answer is expected.
How it is built
安／何以 + verb …？ or subject + 何尝 (不) + verb …？: 子非鱼，安知鱼之乐？ (you are not a fish; how could you know the joy of fish?). 安知 = 你不可能知道.
When to use it
何尝 + verb denies (我何尝说过 = 我从来没说过); 何尝不 affirms (人又何尝不渺小 = 人也一样渺小). All are written or lofty; speech keeps 安 only in set phrases like 安知, 安能, and 何以 in formal questions.
Watch out
Do not use bare 安 for 怎么 in everyday talk: ✗你安去？ ✓你怎么去？ Mind the sign: 何尝 denies, 何尝不 affirms.
Examples
子非鱼，安知鱼之乐？
You are not a fish; how could you know the joy of fish?
小鸟固然渺小，人又何尝不渺小？
The birds are tiny, of course, but are people any less so?
他连一天书都没读过，何以知道这么多道理？
He never had a day’s schooling; how is it that he knows so much?
Learn this in Lesson 231 · HSK 9+: 庄子 (Zhuangzi, the laughing philosopher)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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