[](http://amzn.to/2iioVRP)
[](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Main_Page)
- [Main
Page](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Main_Page)
- [Learner
FAQ](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Learner_FAQ)
- [Grammar
Points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Grammar_points_by_level)
- [Chinese
Keywords](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Keywords)
- [Word
Translations](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Translations)
- [Textbook
Index](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Chinese_textbook_grammar_index)
- [Chinese
Forums](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Forums)
- [Acknowledgments](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Acknowledgments)
- [Contact
Us](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Contact)
[]( "wikilink")
Useful Pages
- [Reading
Tools](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Tools)
- [Recent
changes](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:RecentChanges)
- [Random
page](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Random)
- [Help](https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Help:Contents)
- [Newsletter](http://resources.allsetlearning.com/)
- []( "wikilink")
Tools
-
[What links
here](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:WhatLinksHere/Expressing_%22not_very%22_with_%22bu_zenme%22)
-
[Related
changes](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:RecentChangesLinked/Expressing_%22not_very%22_with_%22bu_zenme%22)
-
[Special
pages](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:SpecialPages)
-
[Printable
version](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/gramwiki/?title=Expressing_%22not_very%22_with_%22bu_zenme%22&printable=yes)
-
[Permanent
link](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/gramwiki/?title=Expressing_%22not_very%22_with_%22bu_zenme%22&oldid=42437)
-
[Page
information](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/gramwiki/?title=Expressing_%22not_very%22_with_%22bu_zenme%22&action=info)
[](http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1286538933)
[](# "wikilink")
Expressing "not very" with "bu zenme"
=====================================
[](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/ASGVYIZT)
-
Level
[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)
-
Similar to
- [Asking why with
"zenme"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Asking_why_with_%22zenme%22) (A2)
- [Expressing "not often" with "bu
zenme"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22not_often%22_with_%22bu_zenme%22) (B1)
-
Used for
[Adding more
explanation](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Adding_more_explanation)
-
Keywords
[不怎么](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%B8%8D%E6%80%8E%E4%B9%88),
[不](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%B8%8D),
[怎么](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%80%8E%E4%B9%88)
-
Translations
[not
very](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Not_very)
[{width="300"
height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-bu.jpg)
Contents
--------
[hide]([# "wikilink")\]
- [1
Structure](#Structure "wikilink")
- [2
Examples](#Examples "wikilink")
- [3 See
also](#See_also "wikilink")
- [4 Sources and
further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink")
- [4.1
Books](#Books "wikilink")
Subj. + 不怎么 + Adj. / \[Psychological Verb\]
Using this grammar structure is a way to indirectly or mildly state
something. Instead of saying 他不聪明 (tā bù cōngming) you can say
他不怎么聪明 (tā bù zěnme cōngming), turning a very direct statement to
a milder, more wayward statement.
Examples
-------------------------------------------------------
- 最近 *不 怎么* 忙 。Zuìjìn *bù zěnme*
máng.It hasn't been very busy
lately.
- 这里 的 冬天 *不 怎么* 冷 。Zhèlǐ de dōngtiān
*bù zěnme* lěng.It's not very cold here
in winter.
- 他们 好像 *不 怎么* 高兴 。Tāmen hǎoxiàng *bù
zěnme* gāoxìng.They don't seem to be very
happy.
- 这个 学生 *不 怎么* 努力 。Zhège xuéshēng *bù
zěnme* nǔlì.This student isn't very
hard-working.
- 那 家 餐厅 *不 怎么* 干净 。Nà jiā cāntīng *bù
zěnme* gānjìng.That restaurant isn't very
clean.
- 这个 老师 *不 怎么* 专业 。Zhège lǎoshī *bù
zěnme* zhuānyè.This teacher isn't very
professional.
- 你 是 不 是 昨天 睡 得 *不 怎么* 好 ？Nǐ shì bú
shì zuótiān shuì de *bù zěnme* hǎo?Did
you not sleep very well last night?
- 我 *不 怎么* 喜欢 咖啡 。Wǒ *bù zěnme* xǐhuan
kāfēi.I'm not very into coffee.
- 他 跟 他 父母 长 得 *不 怎么* 像 。Tā gēn tā
fùmǔ zhǎng de *bù zěnme* xiàng.He and his
parents don't look very much alike.
- 他 去 美国 一 年 多 了 ，不过 *不 怎么* 想家
。Tā qù měiguó yì nián duō le, búguò *bù zěnme*
xiǎngjiā.He's been in America for more
than one year, but he's not very homesick.
Remember that to make 不怎么 mean "not very" use it with an adjective.
Using it with a verb will give it [the meaning of "not
often."](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22Not_often%22_with_%22bu_zenme%22)
See also
-------------------------------------------------------
- ["Not often" with "bu
zenme"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22Not_often%22_with_%22bu_zenme%22)
Sources and further reading
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Books
- [Short-term Spoken Chinese:
Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Short-term_Spoken_Chinese:_Elementary_(%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%8F%A3%E8%AF%AD%E9%80%9F%E6%88%90%E5%9F%BA%E7%A1%80%E7%AF%87)) (pp.
139) \[ →buy\]
[Category](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories):
- [B1 grammar
points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)
[](http://amzn.to/2iioVRP)
Retrieved from
"