何…之有
what X is there? (= there is no X at all)
Structure
何 名词／形容词 之有 ？
What it means
A classical rhetorical question, “what X is there?”, meaning there is no X at all: a firm denial.
How it is built
何 + noun／adjective + 之有？ The object moves before 有 and is marked with 之, so 何陋之有 = 有何陋: 君子居之，何陋之有？ (where a gentleman lives, what humbleness can there be?)
When to use it
Formal and a little lofty; in conversation it sounds witty or indignant. Set phrases: 何难之有 (nothing hard about it), 何罪之有 (he has done nothing wrong), 何错之有.
Watch out
Keep the order 何 + X + 之有: ✗何之陋有 ✗有何陋之 ✓何陋之有.
Examples
君子居之，何陋之有？
Where a gentleman lives, what humbleness can there be?
只要大家齐心协力，何难之有？
As long as we all pull together, what difficulty can there be?
他不过说了几句真话，何罪之有？
All he did was speak a few honest words; what crime is there in that?
Learn this in Lesson 229 · HSK 9+: 课本里的古文 (Classical prose from the school textbook)
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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