为什么
HSK 2 (exam 2025)HSK 2 (2021)Old HSK 2
为什么 (wèishénme) · why
为什么 (wèishénme) means “why”. It is written with 3 characters: 为 (for) + 什 (what? mixed) + 么 (interrogative particle). It is an HSK 2 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 为什么 is built
The characters
为 wèi · for
What 为 is made of
- 丶 — dot
- 力lì — strength
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 丶 — dot
什 shén · what? mixed
What 什 is made of
- 亻rén — person
- 十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
Origin hint: A file of ten 十 people 亻 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
么 me · interrogative particle
What 么 is made of
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 厶sī — private
Example sentences
你为什么不来？Nǐ wèi shénme bù lái?Why aren't you coming?
我不知道他为什么哭。Wǒ bù zhīdào tā wèi shénme kū.I don't know why he is crying.
Questions about 为什么
What does 为什么 mean?
为什么 (wèishénme) means “why”.
How do you pronounce 为什么?
为什么 is pronounced wèishénme.
Which HSK level is 为什么?
为什么 is in HSK 2 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021) and Old HSK 2.
Related words
- 成为chéngwéito become
- 认为rènwéito think
- 行为xíngwéibehavior
- 以为yǐwéito think (mistakenly)
- 因为yīnwèibecause
- 变为biànwéito turn into
- 称为chēngwéito be called
- 为了wèilein order to
- 分为fēnwéito divide into
- 列为lièwéito be listed as
Learn 为什么 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 25: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.