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怎么着 (zěn me zhe) — (colloquial) what about it? what's up? (often with a challenging tone); (colloquial) whatever, no matter what (indicating indifference or resignation)

Definition

Colloquial all-purpose phrase: a challenging "what about it? / what's up?" (often in 不想怎么着), or an indifferent "whatever, no matter what" with 都 or 不管. Never use in writing.

verb
(colloquial) what about it? what's up? (often with a challenging tone)(colloquial) whateverno matter what (indicating indifference or resignation)

Examples

  • 怎么着？？
    zěn me zhe? Nǐ xiǎng zěn me yàng?
    What about it? What do you want to do?
  • 怎么着，。
    Bù guǎn zěn me zhe, wǒ dōu zhī chí nǐ.
    No matter what, I support you.
  • 怎么着，。
    zěn me zhe Dōu xíng, nǐ jué dìng ba.
    Whatever is fine, you decide.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

怎么how
怎zěnhow么me
着zhe

怎么 'how' plus 着 gives a colloquial sense of 'what about' or 'whatever'.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
乍
乍zhà怎zěn
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.

Open 怎 →

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
幺幺yāosmall, tiny
Sound part声符shēngfú
麻
麻má麼
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.

Open 么 →

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 著; 着 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě著zháo
Same sound today

The traditional form 著 puts 艸 (grass; plant) above 者, which gives the sound; the simplified 着 is a later shorthand.

Open 着 →
Appears in
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