呢
Pattern
Topic + 呢？
Key words
Core idea
呢 is context-hungry. It points to a topic that is already active and asks the listener to supply the missing piece. That is why it can mean “and you?”, “what about this?”, or “where did it go?” depending on the situation.
Unlike 吗, it does not ask the listener to choose yes or no. It keeps the topic open.
Context boundary
Use 呢 for follow-up questions and visible shared situations. It is most natural after the conversation has already established what kind of information is being asked for.
One common use keeps the predicate the same and changes the subject: “this person is X; what about that person?” Another keeps the subject the same and changes the object or topic: “you like this; what about that?”
Do not insert 呢 inside a plain yes/no question. If the question has no shared context, 吗 or A-not-A is usually clearer.
What learners often miss
呢 does not carry a full question by itself. The missing meaning comes from the conversation. If the listener cannot infer what you are asking, choose a fuller question pattern instead.
Examples
我想喝茶，你呢？
Wǒ xiǎng hē chá, nǐ ne?
I want tea. What about you?
The earlier context supplies the full question.
我的手机呢？
Wǒ de shǒujī ne?
Where is my phone?
The speaker expects the phone to be somewhere in the shared situation.
老师呢？
Lǎoshī ne?
What about the teacher? / Where is the teacher?
Common mistakes
Avoid
你呢去吗？
Use
你去吗？
呢 does not sit inside a yes/no question. Use it after a topic when context is already clear.
Avoid
你是学生呢？
Use
你是学生吗？
Use 吗, not 呢, for a plain yes/no question.