Aside from just meaning "how," 怎么 (zěnme) can also be
used to ask "why" or "how come."
Basic Usage
With a Verb
Structure
Similar to the question word 为什么
(wèishénme), questions can also be asked with 怎么 (zěnme).
Subj. + 怎么 + Verb + Obj. ?
This has similar connotations to saying "how come" in English.
It not only asks why, but expresses some surprise at the situation,
and in some cases even disagreement with it.
Examples
- 他 怎么 还 没 来 ？Tā zěnme hái
méi lái? How come he's not here
yet?
- 你们 怎么 打 人？Nǐmen zěnme dǎ
rén? How can you hit people?
- 他 帮 了 你，你 怎么 不 说 “谢谢” ？Tā bāng le
nǐ, nǐ zěnme bù shuō "xièxie"? He helped you. How come you didn't say thank
you?
- 你 结婚 的时候 怎么 不 告诉 我？Nǐ jiéhūn de
shíhou zěnme bù gàosu wǒ? How
come you didn't tell me when you got married?
- 我们 还 没 开始 吃，他 怎么 已经 吃完 了？Wǒmen
hái méi kāishǐ chī, tā zěnme yǐjīng chī wán le?
We haven't started eating yet. How come he has
already finished eating?
- 今天 是 星期一，你 怎么 不 去 上班？Jīntiān shì
Xīngqīyī, nǐ zěnme bù qù shàngbān? Today is Monday. Why aren't you going to work?
With an Adjective
Structure
In this case, it's most common to negate the adjective after 怎么
(zěnme).
Examples
- 水 怎么 不 热？Shuǐ zěnme bù
rè? Why is the water not
hot?
- 这里 的 川菜 怎么 不 辣？Zhèlǐ de chuāncài
zěnme bù là? Why is the Sichuan
food here not spicy?
- 他 亲 了 你，你 怎么 不 高兴 ？Tā qīn le nǐ,
nǐ zěnme bù gāoxìng? He kissed
you. How come you're not happy?
- 她 的 小猫 死 了，她 怎么 不 难过？Tā de
xiǎomāo sǐ le, tā zěnme bù nánguò? Her kitten died. Why isn't she sad?
- 每 天 工作 十二 个 小时 ，你 怎么 不 累？Měi tiān
gōngzuò shí'èr gè xiǎoshí, nǐ zěnme bù
lèi?Every day you work 12 hours. Why are
you not tired?
"Why So..." Usage
Structure
One pattern this use of 怎么 (zěnme) frequently appears in is with
这么 (zhème) or 那么 (nàme). (For more on 这么 (zhème) and 那么 (nàme), see
adjectives with "name" and "zheme.")
Subj. + 怎么 + 这么 / 那么 + Adj.
This use of 怎么 (zěnme) could be translated as either "how" or
"why"; the actual meaning sort of falls in the fuzzy region between
the two. In any case, it's used to express disbelief: how can
(something) be so (adjective)?!
Examples
- 他 怎么 那么 懒？Tā zěnme nàme
lǎn? How can he be this
lazy?
- 昨天 怎么 那么 冷？Zuótiān zěnme
nàme lěng? How could it be so cold
yesterday?
- 这些人 怎么 这么 吵？Zhèxiē rén
zěnme zhème chǎo? How can these
people so loud?
- 北京 的 空气 怎么 那么 差？Běijīng de kōngqì
zěnme nàme chà? How can the air
in Beijing be so bad?
- 你的 汉语 怎么 这么 好？Nǐ de Hànyǔ
zěnme zhème hǎo? How is your
Mandarin so good?
See also
Sources and further
reading
Books
Category:A2 grammar points