<p>"今天是我的生日，<strong>难道</strong>你不知道吗？" (Today is my birthday, <strong>could it be</strong> you don't know that?) is a rhetorical question</p>

<p>Omitting "吗" and write "今天是我的生日，难道你不知道？" or "难道你不知道今天是我的生日?" is still perfectly acceptable as a rhetorical question, as long as there's a question mark at the end.</p>

<p>Even without "难道" , "今天是我的生日，你不知道吗？" can still be a rhetorical question if you are expected to know. And you are expected to answer "of course I know"</p>

<p>If you are not expected to know, then it is a real question.  I really am asking "is it true that you don't know?" and your answer can be "yes, I know" or "no, I don't"</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-04T02:15:23.447Z
2019-11-04T02:24:28.707Z
2019-11-04T02:24:28.707Z
Tang Ho
<p>Yes, definitely you can. However, in some situations, with 吗 it sounds more natural and less rude. And sometimes, with 吗 it might sound less criticizing, such as your first example 今天是我的生日，难道你不知道吗? </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-04T02:19:22.010Z
2019-11-04T02:19:22.010Z
sylvia
<p>The <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Rhetorical_questions_with_%22nandao%22" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Chinese Grammar Wiki</a> writes:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Note that 难道 can only be used for rhetorical questions which could be answered with yes or no, and generally end with 吗.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>And gives examples such as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>今天是我的生日，<strong>难道</strong>你不知道<strong>吗</strong>？</p>
</blockquote>

<p>However, none of the examples on 标准教程HSK4上 page 105 include 吗, such as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>怎么有买了这么多饼干和巧克力？<strong>难道</strong>你不减肥了？</p>
</blockquote>

<p>From the examples I've seen, I'm getting the impression that the 吗 at the end can be included or omitted without changing the meaning.</p>

<p><strong>Question</strong>: Can we omit the 吗 at the end of a 难道 rhetorical question?</p>

<grammar><particles>
Can we omit the 吗 at the end of a 难道 rhetorical question?
# Can we omit the 吗 at the end of a 难道 rhetorical question?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-11-04)

The [Chinese Grammar Wiki](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Rhetorical_questions_with_%22nandao%22) writes:

> Note that 难道 can only be used for rhetorical questions which could be answered with yes or no, and generally end with 吗.

And gives examples such as:

> 今天是我的生日，**难道**你不知道**吗**？

However, none of the examples on 标准教程HSK4上 page 105 include 吗, such as:

> 怎么有买了这么多饼干和巧克力？**难道**你不减肥了？

From the examples I've seen, I'm getting the impression that the 吗 at the end can be included or omitted without changing the meaning.

**Question**: Can we omit the 吗 at the end of a 难道 rhetorical question?

**Tags:** grammar, particles

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-11-04. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

Yes, definitely you can. However, in some situations, with 吗 it sounds more natural and less rude. And sometimes, with 吗 it might sound less criticizing, such as your first example 今天是我的生日，难道你不知道吗?


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### Answer by username_1 on 2019-11-04. Score: 1

"今天是我的生日，**难道**你不知道吗？" (Today is my birthday, **could it be** you don't know that?) is a rhetorical question

Omitting "吗" and write "今天是我的生日，难道你不知道？" or "难道你不知道今天是我的生日?" is still perfectly acceptable as a rhetorical question, as long as there's a question mark at the end.

Even without "难道" , "今天是我的生日，你不知道吗？" can still be a rhetorical question if you are expected to know. And you are expected to answer "of course I know"

If you are not expected to know, then it is a real question. I really am asking "is it true that you don't know?" and your answer can be "yes, I know" or "no, I don't"


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