the what of sth
what 作名词，指某事物的具体内容或身份，常与 why、how 对举。
The what of the question is simple; the why is complicated.
问题的内容很简单，原因却很复杂。
本质；事物
事物的身份,作为对“什么”问题的回答；由“what”指代的事物,与由“who”指代的人相对
The nature or identity of something, or the thing that 'what' refers to (as opposed to a person).
作名词时较少见，多用于正式或学术语境。
事物的身份,作为对“什么”问题的回答
The identity of a thing, as an answer to a question of what.
由“what”指代的事物,与由“who”指代的人相对
Something that is addressed by what, as opposed to a person, addressed by who.
We need to understand the what before we can discuss the why.
我们需要先理解是什么，然后才能讨论为什么。
用法提示：这里“what”作名词，指事物的身份或内容。
The report lists all the whats and the hows, but it says nothing about the people behind the project.
报告列出了所有是什么和怎么做，但没有提及项目背后的人。
用法提示：“whats”是“what”的复数名词形式，指具体的事物或事实。
In this debate, the what matters more than the who.
在这场辩论中，内容比发言者更重要。
用法提示：“what”作名词，与表示人的“who”相对，指被讨论的事物本身。
what 作名词，指某事物的具体内容或身份，常与 why、how 对举。
The what of the question is simple; the why is complicated.
问题的内容很简单，原因却很复杂。
what 的复数形式 whats 与 whys 连用，表示事情的具体情况和原因。
She explained the whats and whys of the decision.
她解释了这一决定的具体内容和原因。
习语，what 作名词，指真实情况或优劣。
When it comes to computers, he knows what's what.
说到电脑，他分得清好坏。
grammar · medium
易错句子I don't know that he wants.
正确表达I don't know what he wants.
汉语“我不知道他想要什么”中的“什么”是疑问代词，在英语从句中必须用 what 充当动词 wants 的宾语；that 只起连接作用，不能充当成分，所以不能说 I don't know that he wants。改为 what 后，从句意义完整：我不知道他想要什么。
grammar · medium
易错句子I don't know what is this.
正确表达I don't know what this is.
what 引导宾语从句时，从句要用陈述语序（主语 + 谓语），即 what this is，不能用疑问语序 what is this。汉语没有这种语序变化，学习者容易把疑问句语序直接搬进从句。改为 what this is 后，句子符合英语从句语序。
grammar · medium
易错句子How do you call this in English?
正确表达What do you call this in English?
询问某物叫什么、身份是什么时用 What do you call...?，不用 How；how 问方式，不能说 How do you call sth?。汉语“你怎么称呼这个”中的“怎么”容易误用 how，改为 what 后才是询问名称/身份的正确搭配。
事情的本质与原因
Her book explains the what and the why of the new policy.
她的书解释了这项新政策的本质与原因。
来龙去脉与缘由
He laid out the whats and whys of the merger for the board.
他向董事会详细说明了这次合并的来龙去脉与缘由。
做什么与怎么做
The training covers the what and the how of the job.
这次培训涵盖了这项工作的内容与具体做法。
Choose the next layer that will help you use what with more confidence.
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Dictionary facts from DICTIONARY_API_DEV, ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.