不怎么 (bù zěn me) — not very, not particularly

Definition

Softens a negative into 'not really / not particularly' — gentler than a flat 不. Used in casual speech to downplay without strong denial.

adverb

not verynot particularly

不怎么。
Tā zuì jìn bù zěn me lái shàng kè.
He hasn't been coming to class very often lately.
不怎么。
Zhè bù diàn yǐng bù zěn me hǎo kàn.
This movie is not particularly good.
不怎么。
Wǒ bù zěn me xǐ huan hē kā fēi.
I don't really like drinking coffee.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

乍心怎

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

乍

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

怎 is made from 心 (heart) and 乍, which gives the sound zhà.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 麼; 么 is its simplified writing.

麻幺麼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

幺幺yāosmall, tiny

Sound part声符shēngfú

麻

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 麼 pairs 麻, which gives the sound, with 幺, which means small/tiny; the simplified 么 is a later shorthand.