他当年到底 遇到了什么事
“What exactly happened to him back then”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
他当年 到底 遇到了 什么事
“What exactly happened to him back then”
“that caused such serious injuries? That's all I can tell you.”
Direct spoken expression in this communicative setting.
Asking 'what kind of matter happened' rather than asking directly about injuries softens the inquiry when discussing painful family histories.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
on earth / after all
Used in questions to emphasize pressing for the bottom line or truth.
what happened / what trouble was encountered
A natural spoken phrase to ask about someone's troubles or past incidents.