Character #422: 怎 zěn
2 Lessons
Vocab Unlocked from 怎: 怎么 - 怎么样
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New Word(s) of Two-Characters or More Unlocked!
The word(s) below have a corresponding flashcard in the Hanzi & Words deck associated with this level. Before you end today's study session, add an image to the card (how to add images to flashcards). After that, unsuspend the card(s).
怎么
Usage 1 - "how?"
Usage 2 - "why? (more indignant than 为什么?)"
Usage 3 - "in a certain way, in any way, no matter how"
Living Link Suggestion(s):
- Image search "magicians." Why? Because HOW did they do it?
怎么样
Usage 1 - "how about, what about, well, how is it"
Living Link Suggestion(s):
- "HOW ARE THINGS?"
"Well, I'm a bit zen (zěn) when my Yanni (meyàng) album is playing."
Have a suggestion? Please share in the comments below!
Comments 3
Click Here to Search Individual Hanzi 汉字
PHASE 1 (Levels 1-6)
- The Basics - Why Does This Method Work?
- How our Pinyin Chart is Different
- What are Chinese Characters?
- Props
- Sets
- Actors
- Scripts
- Inspiration for Scripts
- Special Effects
- Timeboxing
- Why SRS is So Important: Frequency & Memory
- How to Use SRS
- Habit Building Part 1 - Triggers
- Habit Building Part 2 - Routine
- Habit Building Part 3 - Reward
- Habit Building Part 4 - Belief
- Stroke Order Rule #1
- Stroke Order Rule #2
- Stroke Order Rule #3
- Stroke Order Rule #4
- Stroke Order Rule #5
- Stroke Order Rule #6
- Stroke Order Rule #7
- Stroke Order Rule #8
- Stroke Order Rule #9
- Stroke Order Rule #10
- Stroke Order Rule #11
- Stroke Order Rule #12
PHASE 2 (Levels 7-12)
- Understanding Chinese Words - Morphemes
- The Six Steps to Learning Words
- 3 Questions About Words
- Top-Down & Bottom-Up Learning
Living Links Series
Word Structure Series
- Part 1 - What are Chinese Words?
- Part 2 - Verb-What 述宾式
- Part 3 - Verb-How 补充式
- Part 4 - Biased 偏正式
- Part 5 - Parallel 并列式
- Part 6 - Duplicated 重叠式
- Part 7 - Subject-Predicate 主谓式
- Part 8 - Affixed 附加式
PHASE 3 (Levels 13-20)
- The Basic Chinese Sentence
- Helper - Expressing Possession with 的
- Helper - When You Can Omit 的
- Helper - Completed Actions with 了
- Helper - Change of State with 了
- Helper - Present Actions with 着
- Connector - Saying 'But' with 但是 - 可是 - 不过
- Connector - Reasons & Actions with 因为..., 所以...
- Connector - Conditional "If-Then" Statements with 如果..., 就
- Connector - Conditional "If-Then" Statements with 要是...的话
- Connector - "Or" in Questions with 还是
- Connector - “Or" in Statements with 或/或者
- Relator - Using 为 to Express "For"
- Relator - Expressing "From" with 从
- Relator - Expressing Location with 在
- Special - Using 在 as a Verb
- Tone - Softening Tone of Voice with 呢
- “How Does What" - Adverbs of Denial
- “How Does What" - Adverbs of Degree
PHASE 4 (Levels 21-30)
Level 21
- Transferring Money by Smartphone or Bank
- Walk in the Park?! I Have 汉字 to Study!
- Who Determine's a Baby's Looks, Mom or Dad?
Level 22
- How Many Pages of the Book Have You Read?
- Many People Don't Want to Have Babies
- My Girlfriend Can Really Eat!
- What Do You Like to Do?
- What Method Works for Learning Chinese?
Level 23
- Eating Bread
- I Met My Girlfriend in the Park
- Something is Different About My Dog Lately
- The Older Brother is Better Than the Younger Brother
- The Right and Left Side of the Office
- Three Meals a Day
Level 24
- Annoying People
- Breaking Up at the End of the Date
- Going on a Date
- My Two Friends and I
- Overtime at Work
- Red Packets
- Two People in a Relationship
Level 25
- I Want to Find a Boyfriend Too
- My Dad and I
- My Dog Chouchou
- The Big Changes of China
- The Weather is Great, Let's Go to the Park!
- Xiaomei and Her Boyfriend's Day
Level 26
Level 27
- American Journalist Studies Chinese in China
- Can I Still Learn Chinese Anymore?
- Should I Change?
- Children and Their Parents
- Foreigner's Opinion of China
- What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
Level 28
- Daughter & Mother
- Son's Eighth Birthday
- Study, Work & Life
- What's More Important, Looks, or Ability?
Level 29
- Advertisements
- Buying Tickets at Chinese New Year
- Everybody Restaurant
- How Does One Progress
- Son is Out of Control
Level 30
- Cars, Bicycles & Trains
- Potatoes & Beef
- Two Ladies Compare Who's Got it Better
- Young People Raising Cats and Dogs
Phase 4 Grammar Points
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Anne Giles 🤝
In several of the Chinese TV shows I watch, I've heard "怎么了?" This is translated as "What's wrong?" Can you explain how this might work with 怎么 translated as "how?" or "why?"? If so, thanks!
Mandarin Blueprint
Not sure how to explain it, but 怎么了 indeed means "what's wrong?" I suppose you could say that something "being wrong" is a change (了) and that you're asking why (怎么).
Anne Giles 🤝
Helpful! Thank you!