怎么
HSK 1 (exam 2025)HSK 1 (2021)Old HSK 1
怎么 (zěnme) · how
怎么 (zěnme) means “how; why”. It is written with 2 characters: 怎 (what? why? how?) + 么 (interrogative particle). It is an HSK 1 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 怎么 is built
The characters
怎 zěn · what? why? how?
What 怎 is made of
- 乍zhà — first time
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 下xià — down
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 卜bo — divination
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 心xīn — heart
Origin hint: 心 gives the meaning, 乍 gives the sound. (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
去火车站怎么走？Qù huǒchēzhàn zěnme zǒu?How do I get to the train station?
你怎么没来上课？Nǐ zěnme méi lái shàngkè?Why didn't you come to class?
Questions about 怎么
What does 怎么 mean?
怎么 (zěnme) means “how; why”.
How do you pronounce 怎么?
怎么 is pronounced zěnme.
Which HSK level is 怎么?
怎么 is in HSK 1 (exam 2025) and HSK 1 (2021) and Old HSK 1.
Related words
- 怎么办zěnme bànwhat to do
- 怎么样zěnmeyànghow
- 怎样zěnyànghow
- 干什么gànshénmewhat to do
- 没什么méishénmenothing much
- 什么shénmewhat
- 多么duōmehow (very)
- 那么nàmeso
- 什么样shénmeyàngwhat kind of
- 为什么wèishénmewhy
Learn 怎么 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 (2021) · Group 18: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.