TongTong
Sign in

怎么 (zěn me) — how (in what way or manner); why (for what reason)

Definition

怎么 asks 'how' (manner, as in 你怎么去学校?) or 'why' (reason, as in 你怎么不喝水?). Pair it with 为什么 for an explicit 'why' question; 怎么样 adds '…like?' and asks for an opinion.

pronoun
how (in what way or manner)why (for what reason)

Examples

  • 怎么？
    Nǐ zěn me qù xué xiào?
    How do you go to school?
  • 怎么？
    Nǐ zěn me bù hē shuǐ?
    Why don't you drink water?
  • 怎么？
    Nǐ zěn me le?
    What's wrong with you?

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zěnhow
么me

The 怎 means how, and 么 completes the question.

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 →

Grammar

Appears in
100 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 3.0 Level 1500 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 2.0 Level 11000 Most Frequent Chinese Words2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 1 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.