嘛 and 呗

[L-F-J]

嘛 and 呗

I learned 嘛 and 呗 in an intermediate Chinese book of mine. It says they are placed at the end of a sentence to show that something is obvious. But 嘛 shows a sense of contradiction while 呗 expresses an assertion. For example:

这很简单嘛。This is very simple. (how could you think otherwise?)

这很简单呗! This is very simple! (you didn't need to tell me that!)

我没生他的气，他是我的朋友嘛。I wasn't angry with him, he's my friend. (despite what others think)

我没生他的气，他是我的朋友呗！ I wasn't angry with him, he's my friend! (can't you see that?!)

呗 is pretty easy to understand but I had some problems with 嘛. It's difficult to understand it's function in certain sentences. Such as:

事情怎么会这样嘛

你怎么了嘛

别想太多嘛

I understand the sentences without 嘛 at the end, but don't quite see the meaning with it added. Could someone explain, please?

[Long Zhiren]

These expressions are more for spoken emphasis.

I thought they were just vocal ticks like "um" or "ah." I never knew that they had written correlations.

[sissi]

When you say something with '嘛',you have a mode to comfort someone.

eg,这很简单嘛.

It's easy,don't worry about it.

Sometimes it is used to make a pause,and then elicit the following text.（这个嘛，自然是好的）

When it comes to '呗',you mean it's easy to understand，just so so(我没生他的气，他是我的朋友呗),or want to strength what you have said(这对你有好处，去呗)

[L-F-J]

Good!

Could you help explain those last three sentences I typed there? I don't understand the function of 嘛 in these sentences. Maybe a translation with the intention explained?

[gato]

这很简单嘛。This is very simple. (how could you think otherwise?)

我没生他的气，他是我的朋友嘛。I wasn't angry with him, he's my friend. (despite what others think)

别想太多嘛

嘛 is used at the end of a sentence for a playful emphasis. That's how it's being used in these examples. Your parenthetical comments are a bit too strong. They are more appropriate for when '呗' is used.

Adding a 呗 to end of a sentence is comparable to adding a rhetorical "Isn't it obvious?" after you make a point. It has somewhat of a mocking tone.

事情怎么会这样嘛

I don't think 嘛 can be used here. Shouldn't it be "事情怎么会这样呢?"

我没生他的气，他是我的朋友呗！ I wasn't angry with him, he's my friend! (can't you see that?!)

你怎么了嘛

I don't think these work, either. "你怎么了嘛?" should simply be "你怎么了?"

[sissi]

I don't want to make a word-to-word translation. Just explain what the speaker want to express:).

事情怎么会这样嘛&事情怎么会这样

The speaker of the latter get angry and query the listener.

However,the former get just a little angry,and always includ no query.

你怎么了嘛

You can use that when someone who must be you acquaintance has negative mood,such as angry,desperate,depressed…etc.You try to comfort him instead of getting the answer.

别想太多嘛

Forget it.

[sissi]

gato,I think I couldn't agree with you about you comments about '嘛'.

I think it can be used in all those sentences,for people around me and I usually talk that way:lol: .

[semantic nuance]

Quote:

事情怎么会这样嘛

I don't think 嘛 can be used here. Shouldn't it be "事情怎么会这样呢?"

I don't think so. 嘛 here is used to indicate annoyance, or impatience.

How come it turns out that way!

In fact, 事情怎么会这样嘛?!, 事情怎么会这样呢?! or 事情怎么会这样?! can mean the same thing when the speaker's tone shows the impatience or annoyance.

Hope it helps!

[charlescpp]

I seldom say 呗 and usually use 啊、呀、嘛.

I think you can use 嘛 to replace 呗 in any time

hope that helps

[Evelyn]

we never use 呗 like

这很简单呗!

我没生他的气，他是我的朋友呗

we usually use 呗 like below

1. 你不会骑车就学呗

it means, bicycle is too easy, just go to learn it

it can be replace by 吧...but not 嘛

2. A: 我要去看电影。

B:你一定要去,就去呗

Actually A don't want to B go to cinema, although A agree the suggestion but may not be happy

it can be replace by 吧...but not 嘛

[L-F-J]

Actually, I've never come across 呗 in speaking, but watching the tv show 地下铁, they said 嘛 A LOT. It was difficult for me to get what the usage was for.

Okay, if someone asks you why you baught those shoes, you can tell them 我喜欢嘛 and 我喜欢呗. It seems the first is to say "well, I like them" and the second says "I like them, duh". The first is more playful and the second is showing more annoyance. Am I right?

You're all very helpful. Could someone offer another common example of the playful use of 嘛 and let me see if I get it? Thanks!

[sissi]

It seems the first is to say "well, I like them" and the second says "I like them, duh".

Yeah,quite right.You get it:)

给她看一下嘛&给她看一下呗

[Evelyn]

我喜欢嘛

it's like a girl's word, when she ask for something from her Dad, or Boyfriend,

"I like it .(so much,please buy it for me) "

我喜欢呗

when someone ask you, "why did you buy this,(it may not reasonable, that may be expensive or not good)"

and the answer should be "我喜欢呗"

it means "i like it, (so i bought it, it is none of you business)"

adjective+嘛

嘛 emphasize the adjective before it.

eg. 这很简单嘛.

很漂亮嘛