How in Chinese? Here’s 4 life-saving meanings of 怎么 🌟

How in Chinese? Here’s why 怎么 is so much more!

Have a watch of our handy one minute video below to learn how to use how in Chinese. However, don’t forget that怎么 (zěnme) actually has 4 extremely useful meanings so get your notebook ready. 

Also – don’t worry if you don’t catch it all. We have a great summary transcribed underneath!

Before you read below, fancy taking a Chinese vocabulary test to check out your understanding?

1. Greetings

Firstly, 怎么 (zěnme) can be used in a greeting. Next time you run into an old friend, you can say:

• 嘿，你最近怎么样？
• Hēi, nǐ zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?
• Hey, how have you been lately?

2. What’s wrong?

Now, let’s imagine a friend who’s been acting strangely or looking bad recently. Naturally, you’re worried about them. So to ask what’s wrong, you can say:

• 喂，你怎么了？
• Wèi, nǐ zěnme le?
• Hey, what happened to you?

3. What to do?

So imagine you face a problem or a task too difficult to solve. What can you say?

• 这个题太难了，我该怎么办？
• Zhè gè tí tài nán le, wǒ gāi zěnme bàn?
• This task is too difficult. What should I do?

The question 怎么办 (zěnme bàn) is commonly used when people don’t know what in the face of difficulties.

4. How in Chinese!

The last meaning of 怎么 (zěnme) is the most common one and we’re pretty certain you already know it. Afterall – the article is about using how in Chinese!
Of course – it’s “how“! You can use it to ask how to do something.

This structure is:

[ 怎么 (zěnme) + Verb + ?]

For example:

• 这个词怎么读？
• Zhège cí zěnme dú?
• How to read/pronounce this word?