什么样
shén me yàng · HSK 2
what kind?
❓ 什 (what) + 么 (interrogative particle) + 样 (kind/type)
Three-character combo literally stacking 'what' + question-particle + 'type/appearance'. The 样 part carries the 'sort/kind/look' nuance, so 什么样 asks specifically about kind or appearance, not just 'what'.
样 — wood radical 木 + sheep 羊
样 is a phono-semantic compound. The wood radical 木 originally hinted at meaning (a wooden model or sample), while 羊 (sheep) supplies the sound. From 'wooden pattern/template' it broadened to mean 'shape, form, kind, manner'.