{"id":1329,"date":"2012-03-30T21:48:36","date_gmt":"2012-03-30T13:48:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/akikolingoland.com\/?p=1329"},"modified":"2015-10-02T12:12:32","modified_gmt":"2015-10-02T04:12:32","slug":"the-why-and-how-of-%e6%80%8e%e4%b9%88-zenme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/akikolingoland.com\/en\/the-why-and-how-of-%e6%80%8e%e4%b9%88-zenme\/","title":{"rendered":"The Why and How of \u2018\u600e\u4e48\u2019 (zenme)"},"content":{"rendered":"

You probably know that\u00a0\u2018\u600e\u4e48\u2019 (zenme) means ‘how’, but are you aware that it also has the meaning of ‘why’?
\n\"WHYnHOW02\"
\nSo how do you know when it means ‘how’ and when it means ‘why’?
\nAlso, when it refers to ‘why’, does it mean exactly the same as \u2018\u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48\u2019?<\/p>\n

Let’s start from the basics. (Recordings are at the end of the post.)
\nHere are some examples of \u2018\u600e\u4e48\u2019 with the meaning ‘how’.<\/p>\n[wpcol_1half id=”” class=”” style=””]\n1a) \u600e\u4e48\u53bb\uff1f
\nz\u011bnme q\u00f9<\/strong>
\nhow to go?<\/em><\/p>\n

2a) \u600e\u4e48\u8bf4\uff1f
\nz\u011bnme shu\u014d<\/strong>
\nhow to say (sth)?<\/em><\/p>\n

3a) \u600e\u4e48\u544a\u8bc9\u5979\uff1f
\nz\u011bnme g\u00e0osu t\u0101<\/strong>
\nhow to tell her (sth)?<\/em>
\n[\/wpcol_1half][wpcol_1half_end id=”” class=”” style=””]\n4a) \u600e\u4e48\u56de\u5bb6\uff1f
\nz\u011bnme hu\u00ed ji\u0101<\/strong>
\nhow to go home?<\/em><\/p>\n

5a) \u8863\u670d\u600e\u4e48\u6d17\uff1f
\ny\u012bfu z\u011bnme x\u01d0<\/strong>
\nhow to wash the clothes?<\/em><\/p>\n

6a) \u600e\u4e48\u5b66\uff1f
\nz\u011bnme xu\u00e9<\/strong>
\nhow to learn (sth)?<\/em>
\n[\/wpcol_1half_end]\n

<\/div>\nThis \u2018\u600e\u4e48\u2019 is often used in the \u2018\u662f\u2026\u7684\u2019 construction, where function is emphasised.<\/p>\n[wpcol_1half id=”” class=”” style=””]\n1b)\uff08\u4f60\u662f\uff09\u600e\u4e48\u53bb\u7684\uff1f
\n(n\u01d0 sh\u00ec) z\u011bnme q\u00f9 de<\/strong>
\nhow did (you) go?<\/em><\/p>\n

2b) \uff08\u4f60\u662f\uff09\u600e\u4e48\u8bf4\u7684\uff1f
\n(n\u01d0 sh\u00ec) z\u011bnme shu\u014d de<\/strong>
\nhow did (you) say (sth)?<\/em><\/p>\n

3b) \uff08\u4f60\u662f\uff09\u600e\u4e48\u544a\u8bc9\u5979\u7684\uff1f
\n(n\u01d0 sh\u00ec) z\u011bnme g\u00e0osu t\u0101 de<\/strong>
\nhow did (you) tell her (sth)?<\/em>
\n[\/wpcol_1half][wpcol_1half_end id=”” class=”” style=””]\n4b) \uff08\u4f60\u662f\uff09\u600e\u4e48\u56de\u5bb6\u7684\uff1f
\n(n\u01d0 sh\u00ec) z\u011bnme hu\u00ed ji\u0101 de<\/strong>
\nhow did (you) go home?<\/em><\/p>\n

5b) \u8863\u670d\uff08\u662f\uff09\u600e\u4e48\u6d17\u7684\uff1f
\ny\u012bfu (sh\u00ec) z\u011bnme x\u01d0 de<\/strong>
\nhow did (sb) wash the clothes?<\/em><\/p>\n

6b) \uff08\u4f60\u662f\uff09\u600e\u4e48\u5b66\u7684\uff1f
\n(n\u01d0 sh\u00ec) z\u011bnme xu\u00e9 de<\/strong>
\nhow did (you) learn (sth)?<\/em>
\n[\/wpcol_1half_end]\n

<\/div>\nNow let’s use example 1) and make ‘why’ questions.
\n1c) \u600e\u4e48\u4e0d\u53bb\uff1f
\nz\u011bnme b\u00fa q\u00f9<\/strong>
\nwhy (is sb) not going?<\/em><\/p>\n

1d) \u600e\u4e48\u6ca1\u53bb\uff1f
\nz\u011bnme m\u00e9i q\u00f9<\/strong>
\nwhy (did sb) not go?<\/em><\/p>\n

1e) \u600e\u4e48\u53bb\u4e86\uff1f
\nz\u011bnme q\u00f9 le<\/strong>
\nwhy (did sb) go?<\/em><\/p>\n

1f) \u600e\u4e48\u4e0d\u53bb\u4e86\uff1f
\nz\u011bnme b\u00fa q\u00f9 le<\/strong>
\nwhy (is sb) not going anymore?<\/em><\/p>\n

In examples c) ~ f), we can replace \u2018\u600e\u4e48\u2019 with \u2018\u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48\u2019. However there’s a colloquial tone to \u2018\u600e\u4e48\u2019 and it conveys an element of surprise. It is often used when something unexpected happens, or doesn’t happen. In contrast to \u2018\u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48\u2019 which is more objective, \u2018\u600e\u4e48\u2019 expresses the speaker’s surprise or shock at some unexpected outcome or situation.<\/p>\n

For example,
\nin 1e) \u600e\u4e48\u53bb\u4e86\uff1f
\nthe speaker was not expecting that the listener (or some other person) was going, but that person went. Hence \u2018\u600e\u4e48\u2019 is more appropriate than \u2018\u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48\u2019.<\/p>\n

Do you see any patterns from the above examples?
\nThat’s right, generally, when there are words like \u2018\u4e0d\u2019, \u2018\u6ca1\u2019, \u2018\u4e86\u2019, \u2018\u4e0d\u2026\u4e86\u2019 that illustrate changes or unexpected situations, \u2018\u600e\u4e48\u2019 is used.<\/p>\n

Let’s now have a look at a simple summary of the why and how of \u2018\u600e\u4e48\u2019.<\/p>\n

The Why and How of Chinese \u600e\u4e48<\/a><\/p>\n