X什么X / 什么X不X（的）: stop X-ing!, no need to mention X
【五68】【五69】口语格式 / fixed patterns
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
Two spoken patterns where 什么 does not ask a real question.
V + 什么 + V is an irritated rebuke: "stop …ing!", "what's got into you?". The verb is repeated on both sides of 什么: 看什么看，吵什么吵，吃什么吃. The plain 看什么？ is first of all a genuine question ("what are you looking at?"). It is far blunter than 别吵了 ("don't argue"), so keep it for close friends and children.
什么 + X + 不 + X (的) waves a politeness aside: "let's not talk about X, no need for that". 什么麻烦不麻烦的 answers an apology or a thank-you and puts the other person at ease, warmer than 别客气. It is not a question, so no 吗.
Only the tone makes them harsh (the first) or warm (the second).
Examples
看什么看？没见过吗？
Kàn shénme kàn? Méi jiànguo ma?What are you staring at? Never seen one before?
急什么急，还有半个小时呢！
Jí shénme jí, hái yǒu bàn ge xiǎoshí ne!What's the rush? There's still half an hour!
吃什么吃，再吃就胖死了！
Chī shénme chī, zài chī jiù pàng sǐ le!Stop eating! Any more and you'll be as big as a house!
吵什么吵，大家有话好好说！
Chǎo shénme chǎo, dàjiā yǒu huà hǎohǎo shuō!Stop squabbling and talk it over properly!
什么麻烦不麻烦的，我们是老邻居了。
Shénme máfan bù máfan de, wǒmen shì lǎo línjū le.Don't talk about any trouble, we've been neighbours for years.
什么钱不钱的，你这话说得太客气了。
Shénme qián bù qián de, nǐ zhè huà shuō de tài kèqi le.Money? Don't mention it, you're being far too polite.
Common mistakes
✗ 看什么！ (for "stop staring at me") → ✓ 看什么看！ (看什么 alone really asks what is being looked at).
✗ 什么麻烦不麻烦吗？ → ✓ 什么麻烦不麻烦的 (it waves politeness aside, it is not a question: no 吗).
✗ 王经理，急什么急！ → ✓ 王经理，您别着急 (V什么V is a curt rebuke, kept for close people and children).