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ChineseGrammarWiki


			
				
					
						
						
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<p>Aside from <a href="How_to_do_something_with_&quot;zenme&quot;" title="wikilink">just meaning &quot;how,&quot;</a> 怎么 (zěnme) can also be used to ask &quot;why&quot; or &quot;how come.&quot;</p>
<h2 id="basic-usage">Basic Usage</h2>
<h3 id="with-a-verb">With a Verb</h3>
<h4 id="structure">Structure</h4>
<p>Similar to the question word <a href="为什么" class="uri" title="wikilink">为什么</a> (wèishénme), questions can also be asked with 怎么 (zěnme).</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 怎么 + Verb + Obj. ?</p>
</div>
<p>This has similar connotations to saying &quot;how come&quot; in English. It not only asks why, but expresses some surprise at the situation, and in some cases even disagreement with it.</p>
<h4 id="examples">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>他 <em>怎么</em> 还 没 来 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zěnme</em> hái méi lái? </span><span class="trans">How come he's not here yet?</span></li>
<li>你们 <em>怎么</em> 打 人？<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>zěnme</em> dǎ rén? </span><span class="trans">How can you hit people? </span></li>
<li>他 帮 了 你，你 <em>怎么</em> 不 说 “谢谢” ？<span class="pinyin">Tā bāng le nǐ, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù shuō &quot;xièxie&quot;? </span><span class="trans">He helped you. How come you didn't say thank you? </span></li>
<li>你 结婚 的时候 <em>怎么</em> 不 告诉 我？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiéhūn de shíhou <em>zěnme</em> bù gàosu wǒ? </span><span class="trans">How come you didn't tell me when you got married? </span></li>
<li>我们 还 没 开始 吃，他 <em>怎么</em> 已经 吃完 了？<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen hái méi kāishǐ chī, tā <em>zěnme</em> yǐjīng chī wán le? </span><span class="trans">We haven't started eating yet. How come he has already finished eating? </span></li>
<li>今天 是 星期一，你 <em>怎么</em> 不 去 上班？<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān shì Xīngqīyī, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù qù shàngbān? </span><span class="trans">Today is Monday. Why aren't you going to work? </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="with-an-adjective">With an Adjective</h3>
<h4 id="structure-1">Structure</h4>
<p>In this case, it's most common to negate the adjective after 怎么 (zěnme).</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 怎么 (+ 不) + Adj.</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples-1">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>水 <em>怎么</em> 不 热？<span class="pinyin">Shuǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù rè? </span><span class="trans">Why is the water not hot? </span></li>
<li>这里 的 川菜 <em>怎么</em> 不 辣？<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de chuāncài <em>zěnme</em> bù là? </span><span class="trans">Why is the Sichuan food here not spicy? </span></li>
<li>他 亲 了 你，你 <em>怎么</em> 不 高兴 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā qīn le nǐ, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù gāoxìng? </span><span class="trans">He kissed you. How come you're not happy? </span></li>
<li>她 的 小猫 死 了，她 <em>怎么</em> 不 难过？<span class="pinyin">Tā de xiǎomāo sǐ le, tā <em>zěnme</em> bù nánguò? </span><span class="trans">Her kitten died. Why isn't she sad? </span></li>
<li>每 天 工作 十二 个 小时 ，你 <em>怎么</em> 不 累？<span class="pinyin">Měi tiān gōngzuò shí'èr gè xiǎoshí, nǐ <em>zěnme</em> bù lèi?</span><span class="trans">Every day you work 12 hours. Why are you not tired? </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="why-so...-usage">&quot;Why So...&quot; Usage</h2>
<h3 id="structure-2">Structure</h3>
<p>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 <a href="adjectives_with_&quot;name&quot;_and_&quot;zheme&quot;" title="wikilink">adjectives with &quot;name&quot; and &quot;zheme.&quot;</a>)</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 怎么 + 这么 / 那么 + Adj.</p>
</div>
<p>This use of 怎么 (zěnme) could be translated as either &quot;how&quot; or &quot;why&quot;; the actual meaning sort of falls in the fuzzy region between the two. In any case, it's used to express disbelief: <em>how can (something) be so (adjective)?!</em></p>
<h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>他 <em>怎么</em> 那么 懒？<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zěnme</em> nàme lǎn? </span><span class="trans">How can he be this lazy? </span></li>
<li>昨天 <em>怎么</em> 那么 冷？<span class="pinyin">Zuótiān <em>zěnme</em> nàme lěng? </span><span class="trans">How could it be so cold yesterday? </span></li>
<li>这些人 <em>怎么</em> 这么 吵？<span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē rén <em>zěnme</em> zhème chǎo? </span><span class="trans">How can these people so loud? </span></li>
<li>北京 的 空气 <em>怎么</em> 那么 差？<span class="pinyin">Běijīng de kōngqì <em>zěnme</em> nàme chà? </span><span class="trans">How can the air in Beijing be so bad? </span></li>
<li>你的 汉语 <em>怎么</em> 这么 好？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de Hànyǔ <em>zěnme</em> zhème hǎo? </span><span class="trans">How is your Mandarin so good? </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="Placement_of_question_words" title="wikilink">Placement of question words</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)" title="wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)</a> (p. 191) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=0887276385">→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p>           </p>
<p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p>