Rhetorical questions with 何必 and 何苦
Rhetorical questions are questions where an answer is not really expected. It is often used to express indignation or astonishment.
The adverbs and have the same meaning and form rhetorical questions with the meaning “why?”, “why would?”. These adverbs are placed before a predicate. The particle is placed at the end of a sentence.
Pay attention
These types of rhetorical questions have quite a harsh tone.
Examples
那么简单的任务,何必担心
It is such a simple task. Why bother?
nàme jiǎndān de rènwù, hébì dānxīn ne
我对谁都没有讲,何苦事先就让他们伤心呢?
I didn’t tell anybody. Why upset them beforehand?
wǒ duì shéi dōu méiyǒu jiǎng, hékǔ shìxiān jiù ràng tāmen shāngxīn ne
何必去那么早?
Why go so early?
hébì qù nàme zǎo
The negative determiner can be placed after 何必 and 何苦. These adverbs in combination with this determiner means "why not...?".
Examples
这么好的一个机会,你们何必争取
It’s such a good opportunity. Why don’t you fight for it?
zhème hǎo de yí ge jīhuì, nǐmen hébì bù zhēngqǔ ne
我们何苦处理好?
Why don’t we deal with this?
wǒmen hékǔ bù chǔlǐ hǎo
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