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怎么办 (zěn me bàn) — what should one do; what's to be done

Definition

A spoken set phrase used as a question to ask 'what should I/we do?' when something goes wrong or feels impossible. Pairs with 怎么 + verb for asking how to do something; 怎么办 is specifically about solving a problem.

phrase
what should one dowhat's to be done

Examples

  • ，怎么办？
    Wǒ de shǒu jī méi diàn le, zěn me bàn?
    My phone has no battery, what should I do?
  • ，，怎么办？
    Míng tiān yào kǎo shì, wǒ hái méi fù xí, zěn me bàn?
    There's an exam tomorrow and I haven't reviewed yet, what should I do?
  • ，怎么办？
    Tā shēng bìng le, wǒ men zěn me bàn?
    He's sick, what should we do?

Origin

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 辦; 办 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
辡
辡biàn辦bàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 辦 combines 力 (strength) with 辡, which gives the sound; the simplified 办 is a later shorthand.

Open 办 →
Appears in
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