何方

héfāng
pronoun #8,999

Meanings

  1. 1 where; what place (literary)
  2. 2 which direction; what quarter

Characters

What + place — a literary way of asking 'where' or 'from where.'

Examples

Nǐ láizì héfāng?
Where do you come from?
Bùzhī cǐ rén láizì héfāng.
It is unknown where this person comes from.
Héfāng shénshèng gǎn lái dǎoluàn?
Who dares to come here and cause trouble?

Tips

register
何方 is literary/classical Chinese. In modern speech, use 哪里 (nǎlǐ) or 哪儿 (nǎr) instead. 何方 appears in dramatic dialogue, period dramas, and the set phrase 何方神圣 (who is this person — said with attitude).
usage
The phrase 何方神圣 (héfāng shénshèng) literally means 'what place's deity' and is used sarcastically to ask 'who does this person think they are?' Very common in Chinese TV dramas.

Stroke Order

fāng