的是什么

what is the …?

→ 的
phrase Common #2,992
what is the …? 的 links the question to the preceding phrase, asking what the thing described or referred to is.
CH: 你手里拿的是什么?
EN: What is that you're holding?

他们拿的是什么?

What are they holding?

— 孤堡惊情 (2007)

上次的是什么?

What was the previous one?

— 穆赫兰道 (2001)

没人知道等待我们的是什么。

No one knows what awaits us.

他说你很容易知道自己反对的是什么可是却很难知道自己追求的是什么

He said that it’s easy to know what you’re against, but much harder to know what you’re striving for.

— 风吹麦浪 (2006)

可是穿了这露出来的是什么啊?

But what is that sticking out when you wear this?

— 密阳 (2007)

你瞄准的是什么

What are you aiming at?

— 城市英雄 (1993)

汤姆想吃的是什么?

What does Tom want to eat?

你手里的是什么?

What are you holding?

你最害怕的是什么?

What are you most afraid of?

刚才的是什么?

What was that just now?

— 铃芽之旅 (2022)

他查的是什么?

What did he look up?

这说的是什么

What does this say?

— 风吹麦浪 (2006)

你怎么知道里面装的是什么

How do you know what’s inside?

— 美国黑帮 (2007)

她还不会说英语不知道自己说的是什么

She still can't speak English and doesn't know what she's saying.

— 真爱至上 (2003)

你口袋里的是什么?

What’s in your pocket?

— 我的个神啊 (2014)

他们付给我的是什么?

What did they pay me?

— 再见,孩子们 (1987)

汤姆说他搞不懂玛丽要的是什么。

Tom says he can't figure out what Mary wants.

我们那个时候讨论的是什么?

What were we discussing at the time?

那样我还会知道我期待的是什么

That way, I’ll still know what to expect.

— 铁皮鼓 (1979)

你衣服里藏的是什么

What are you hiding in your clothes?

— 几近成名 (2000)

出去之后你最想吃的是什么

What do you most want to eat after you go out?

— 汉江怪物 (2006)

你知道京都等着我们的是什么.

Do you know what's waiting for us in Kyoto?

— 杀手疾风号 (2022)

有一本书我很感兴趣但是老师辅导我读的是什么?

There’s a book I’m very interested in, but what is the book my teacher is helping me read?

— 阿黛尔的生活 (2013)

那些像房子的是什么?

What are those things that look like houses?

— 千与千寻 (2001)

我们在看的是什么?

What are we looking at?

— 八部半 (1963)

你脸上的是什么?

What's that on your face?

— 睁开你的双眼 (1997)

我如今知道,若要换来一大堆星际登陆标准币,我想要的是什么。

Now I know what I want in exchange for a huge pile of standard interstellar credits.