怎么
how; why; what
zěnme
What does 怎么 mean?
怎么 (zěnme) is a question word that English splits into 'how,' 'why,' and sometimes 'what.' It has two main HSK 1 jobs. (1) 'How' — asking about the method or manner of doing something: 怎么去？ ('how to go?'), 怎么写？ ('how do you write it?'), 怎么说？ ('how do you say it?'). 怎么 goes BEFORE the verb. (2) 'How come / why' — expressing surprise, confusion, or mild complaint about an unexpected situation: 你怎么没来？ ('how come you didn't come?'), 怎么这么贵！ ('why is it so expensive?!'). This sense is more emotional than 为什么 (wèishénme), which asks neutrally for a reason. 怎么 also appears in fixed phrases: 怎么样 (zěnmeyàng, 'how about it / how is it'), 怎么办 (zěnme bàn, 'what should I do'). The first character 怎 is almost only used in this word; the 心 radical underneath reflects that it expresses puzzlement.
Character breakdown
how (only used in compounds like 怎么, 怎样; 心 heart radical at bottom)
interrogative suffix (used in 什么, 怎么, 那么, 这么)
Memory hook: 怎 has 心 (heart) at the bottom — when you don't know how to do something, your heart is asking 'how?'
Example sentences
这个字怎么写？
Zhège zì zěnme xiě?
How do you write this character?
neutral
你怎么了？
Nǐ zěnme le?
What's wrong with you? / What happened?
spoken
去地铁站怎么走？
Qù dìtiě zhàn zěnme zǒu?
How do I get to the subway station?
spoken
你怎么没吃饭？
Nǐ zěnme méi chī fàn?
How come you haven't eaten?
spoken
Common phrases with 怎么
Synonyms
如何 means 'how' but is more formal and literary — common in writing, news, and set phrases (例如 'for example'). In speech, always 怎么. Don't say 你如何去? in conversation; say 你怎么去?
为什么 asks 'why' neutrally — looking for a reason or cause. 怎么 used as 'why' carries emotion (surprise, complaint). 你为什么没来？ = 'why didn't you come?' (neutral). 你怎么没来？ = 'how come you didn't come?' (surprised, possibly accusatory).
Don't confuse 怎么 with
什么 asks 'what' (the thing); 怎么 asks 'how / why' (the manner or reason). 你买什么？ = 'what are you buying?' 你怎么买？ = 'how are you buying it?' Same 么 suffix, different question word.
怎么样 is a fuller form meaning 'how is it / how about it?' — usually at the end of a sentence or used standalone: 你今天怎么样？ ('how are you today?'). 怎么 alone goes BEFORE a verb and asks 'how to do X.' Same root, different position and use.
那么 ('so / that') and 这么 ('this / so') share the 么 suffix but mean 'to that / this extent.' 这么贵 = 'this expensive.' 怎么贵 = 'how expensive?' (or 'why so expensive?').