<p>The word 什麼 being pronounced as <strong>shénmo</strong> is not <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Chinese" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Standard Chinese</a> (although it should be readily understandable). Therefore, the answer to</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>In what contexts is this true?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>is <em>almost never</em>, unless one is specifically transcribing a topolectical variation of Mandarin.</p>

<hr>

<p>That being said,</p>

<ul>
<li><strong>Shénmo</strong> is probably a more accurate reflection of how it's pronounced among Southern Chinese speakers of Mandarin.</li>
<li>麼 always had another pronunciation with Pinyin <strong>mo</strong></li>
<li><p>什麼 is quite an old word, with</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Many variant pronunciations</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/d07k6.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/d07k6.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p></li>
<li><p>Many variant spellings</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/09vpf.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/09vpf.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p></li>
</ul>

<p>so expect many topolectical variations!</p></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-14T14:20:55.917Z
2019-10-14T14:20:55.917Z
dROOOze
<p>First, 什麽 vs 什么 are just traditional Chinese vs simplified Chinese. They are the same characters. </p>

<p>Second, if you look up them in dictionary, they have the same pinyin, shenme.</p>

<p>Third, pinyin is invented as a standard for the current Mandarin Chinese. In many dialects, me and mo are the same, even in many Mandarin dialects. I couldn't understand why linguists distinguish 么 with 莫墨莫 and so on since I don't distinguish between mo and me as a native speaker.</p>

<p>But historically, 么 is pronounced more close to mo.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-24T23:42:42.873Z
Hello! Please don't introduce Simplified Chinese explanations in a question that didn't ask specifically about Simplified Chinese. 么 is a variant of 幺, and is pronounced as **yāo**.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-24T20:12:13.787Z
2019-10-24T20:12:13.787Z
zsf222
<p>I don't think shenmo is the correct pronunciation for 什麼. Although shenmo won't confuse people since if you're talking informally, shenmo is a common mispronunciation non-chinese speakers. Some accents/ dialects also pronounce 什麼 as shenmo,so yeah it depends on where you speak and who you're talking to.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-27T09:44:51.520Z
2019-10-27T09:44:51.520Z
invalid404
<p>According to ''Wiedenhof's A Grammar of Mandarin'', page 415, <em>shénmo</em> is also a possible transliteration of 什麼 <em>shénme</em>, with their final vowels being schwas.</p>

<p>In what contexts is this true?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-14T10:02:34.613Z
I have never heard or read someone like this. At least, it is not a proper mandarin
Chang Henry
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-14T14:05:03.010Z
I think that you should edit the question title. **Shenme** in IPA is /ʂən mə/, while **shenmo** in IPA is /ʂən mwɔ/, so they cannot be homophones.
dROOOze
<pronunciation><pinyin>
shénmo pronounced as homophone of 什麼 shénme
# shénmo pronounced as homophone of 什麼 shénme

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-10-12)

According to ''Wiedenhof's A Grammar of Mandarin'', page 415, *shénmo* is also a possible transliteration of 什麼 *shénme*, with their final vowels being schwas.

In what contexts is this true?

**Tags:** pronunciation, pinyin

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I have never heard or read someone like this. At least, it is not a proper mandarin  
> **username_2**: I think that you should edit the question title. **Shenme** in IPA is /ʂən mə/, while **shenmo** in IPA is /ʂən mwɔ/, so they cannot be homophones.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-10-14. Score: 3

The word 什麼 being pronounced as **shénmo** is not [Standard Chinese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Chinese) (although it should be readily understandable). Therefore, the answer to

> In what contexts is this true?

is *almost never*, unless one is specifically transcribing a topolectical variation of Mandarin.

---

That being said,

* **Shénmo** is probably a more accurate reflection of how it's pronounced among Southern Chinese speakers of Mandarin.
* 麼 always had another pronunciation with Pinyin **mo**
* 什麼 is quite an old word, with

  + Many variant pronunciations

    [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/d07k6.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/d07k6.png)
  + Many variant spellings

    [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/09vpf.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/09vpf.png)

  so expect many topolectical variations!


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-10-24. Score: 0

First, 什麽 vs 什么 are just traditional Chinese vs simplified Chinese. They are the same characters.

Second, if you look up them in dictionary, they have the same pinyin, shenme.

Third, pinyin is invented as a standard for the current Mandarin Chinese. In many dialects, me and mo are the same, even in many Mandarin dialects. I couldn't understand why linguists distinguish 么 with 莫墨莫 and so on since I don't distinguish between mo and me as a native speaker.

But historically, 么 is pronounced more close to mo.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Hello! Please don't introduce Simplified Chinese explanations in a question that didn't ask specifically about Simplified Chinese. 么 is a variant of 幺, and is pronounced as **yāo**.  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-10-27. Score: 0

I don't think shenmo is the correct pronunciation for 什麼. Although shenmo won't confuse people since if you're talking informally, shenmo is a common mispronunciation non-chinese speakers. Some accents/ dialects also pronounce 什麼 as shenmo,so yeah it depends on where you speak and who you're talking to.


---

