You what?
Informal Depends on context
What it really means
Means "what did you say?" or "I can't believe what you just said". It can sound aggressive or challenging, so with strangers it is safer to say "sorry?" or "pardon?".
Chinese explanation
意思是"你说什么？"或"你刚说的我没听错吧？"。语气可能显得冲或挑衅，对陌生人最好说 sorry? 或 pardon? 更稳妥。
Example conversation
A: I've decided to sell my ticket for the final.
B: You what? You queued six hours for that!
A：我决定把决赛的票卖掉。
B：你说什么？那可是你排了六小时队买的！
All British Slang
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake