1
a whatsit for (doing) sth
whatsit 是非正式说法，用于一时想不起名称的小物件；for 后接用途。
I bought a whatsit for opening cans.
我买了一个开罐头的小玩意儿。
那玩意儿；小东西
whatsits — plural of whatsit
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
那玩意儿；小东西
a small object or gadget whose name you do not know or have forgotten
I bought a whatsit for opening cans.
我买了一个开罐头的小玩意儿。
Can you hand me that whatsit next to the remote?
你能把遥控器旁边那个小玩意儿递给我吗？
She put all the little whatsits from the toolbox into a jar.
她把工具箱里的那些小玩意儿都收进了罐子里。
I can't find the whatsit that connects the printer to the computer.
我找不到连接打印机和电脑的那个小玩意儿。
whatsit 是非正式说法，用于一时想不起名称的小物件；for 后接用途。
I bought a whatsit for opening cans.
我买了一个开罐头的小玩意儿。
用 the + whatsit + that 时，通常说话双方都知道所指的具体物件。
Where is the whatsit that you brought yesterday?
你昨天带来的那个小玩意儿在哪儿？
Not this
Whatsit? I heard a noise.
Use this
What is it? I heard a noise.
whatsit 是名词，指小玩意儿，不是疑问词 what is it 的连写。问“那是什么”应说 What is it? 或 What's it?，把 whatsit 当问句属于词性混淆。
Not this
I need whatsit to fix the sink.
Use this
I need a whatsit to fix the sink.
whatsit 是可数名词，单数形式前必须加不定冠词 a/an。中文没有冠词，学习者容易漏掉；加 a 后符合可数名词单数的用法。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
小玩意儿
She picked up a little whatsit from the table.
她从桌上拿起一个小玩意儿。
把那个玩意儿递过来
Could you pass the whatsit?
你能把那个玩意儿递过来吗？
各种各样的小玩意儿
The drawer is full of all sorts of whatsits.
抽屉里装满了各种各样的小玩意儿。
Use whatsits naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
记忆联想：音似“what is it（这是啥）”，一时叫不出名字时就用 whatsit 指那个小玩意儿。
语域：informal 常见场景：日常对话、随意口头交流 这是一个非正式口语词，通常用于日常对话中，指一时想不起名字的小东西或小玩意儿；多用于当面交谈或随意的场合。
非正式用语，用来指代一时想不起名字的小东西。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.