等 · 什么的
and so on, etc.
Structure
A、B + 等 · A、B + 什么的
What it means
等 and 什么的 both mean “and so on, etc.” and go at the very end of a list of examples.
How it is built
A、B + 什么的／等: 桌子上有书、本子、手机什么的 (On the table there are books, notebooks, phones and so on).
When to use it
什么的 is chatty, for everyday speech. 等 is more formal, the one you see in writing and on signs: 这个超市卖水果、牛奶、面包等. Here 等 has nothing to do with 等 “to wait”.
Watch out
什么的 is one fixed word, so don’t drop 的. ✗ 苹果、西瓜什么。 ✓ 苹果、西瓜什么的。
Examples
公园里有湖、草地、花园什么的。
The park has a lake, lawns, gardens and so on.
桌子上有书、本子、手机什么的。
On the table there are books, notebooks, phones and so on.
这个超市卖水果、牛奶、面包等。
This supermarket sells fruit, milk, bread and so on.
Learn this in HSK 2 · Lesson 12: 在公园里找人 (Finding someone in the park)
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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