Definitions

zěn (adverb) how

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "怎" arose during the medieval period of the Chinese language as a vernacular creation to serve interrogative purposes, with its composition integrating the phonetic element "乍" alongside the semantic radical "心" to conceptually tie it to matters of thought and inquiry. Initially employed in spoken phrases, it steadily gained currency in written texts, solidifying its role as the foundational component in constructions like "怎么" to express "how" or "why". While its form has persisted without alteration, the character's semantic function has consistently centered on framing questions, reflecting a stable evolution from its informal beginnings to a standardized lexical unit in the language.

Example Sentences Hide

么知道?

Nǐ zěnme zhīdào?

How do you know?

这件事么办?

Zhè jiàn shì zěnmebàn?

How to handle this matter?

样去学校?

Nǐ zěnyàng qù xuéxiào?

How do you go to school?

我不知么办。

Wǒ bù zhī zěnmebàn.

I don't know what to do.

么还没来?

Tā zěnme hái méi lái?

Why hasn't he come yet?

你告诉我么做。

Nǐ gàosù wǒ zěnme zuò.

Tell me how to do it.

无论样,我都会帮你。

Wúlùn zěnyàng, wǒ dōu huì bāng nǐ.

No matter what, I will help you.

么能这样说话?

Nǐ zěnme néng zhèyàng shuōhuà?

How can you talk like this?