How to Say ‘What the hell are you doing?’ in Traditional Chinese
你他媽的在幹嘛？
nǐ tā mā de zài gàn ma
[nǐ tāmāde zài gànmá]
🇹🇼 In Taiwan: Inserting 他媽的 turns an innocent text-message question into an angry confrontation. Use it only if you mean the hostility.
Phrase Breakdown
你他媽的
nǐ tā mā de
you damn / you f***ing
他媽的 (tāmāde) is a strong curse word, roughly equal to 'damn' or 'f***ing.' Here it adds anger to 你 ('you'). Pronounce it nǐ tāmāde, with two high, flat tones on 他媽 and a light 的.
你他媽的別再遲到了！
Stop being damn late!
Words in this phrase
你
nǐ
[nǐ]
you
Refers to the person being spoken to.
你今天看起來很高興。
You look happy today.
他媽的
tā mā de
[tāmāde]
damn; f***ing
Literally 'his mother's'; a common vulgar intensifier inserted for emphasis.
他媽的，好熱！
Damn, it's hot!
在幹嘛？
zài gàn ma
are doing?
在 (zài) marks an ongoing action, and 幹嘛 (gànmá) is casual for 'doing what.' Together they mean 'What are you doing?' Pronounce it zài gànmá, with 嘛 slightly rising as a question.
你現在在幹嘛？
What are you doing right now?
Words in this phrase
在
zài
[zài]
(progressive marker)
Before a verb, indicates an action in progress, like '-ing'.
我在吃飯。
I'm eating.
幹嘛
gàn ma
[gànmá]
what are you doing; why
Colloquial 'do what'; can sound impatient or confrontational.
你幹嘛不理我？
Why are you ignoring me?
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