Meaning of 怎样
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- how
- what kind
How to use 怎样
怎样 asks how something is done or what something is like. It sounds a little more formal or written than 怎么 (zěnme) and 怎么样 (zěnmeyàng), which are more common in casual speech. Example: 这个字怎样写？(Zhège zì zěnyàng xiě?) How do you write this character?
怎 (zěn) asks "how" and 样 (yàng) means "manner" or "kind," as in 一样 (yīyàng) and 这样 (zhèyàng). Put them together and you are asking "in what manner" or "what kind."
Common mistake: Learners often write 怎 with the wrong top part. The top is 乍 (zhà), not 作 (zuò) without its person radical, and the bottom is 心 (xīn). Also remember the tone: zěn is third tone, not zhěn.
怎样 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
怎 zěn · what? why? how? · 9 strokes
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- 9
样 yàng · manner · 10 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 怎样.
| 怎么 | zěnme | how?; what? |
| 一样 | yīyàng | same; like |
| 这样 | zhèyàng | this way; like this; so; (before a noun) this kind of; such |
| 怎么样 | zěnmeyàng | how?; how about? |
| 那样 | nàyàng | that kind; that sort |
| 怎么办 | zěnme bàn | what's to be done |
| 样子 | yàngzi | appearance; manner |
| 同样 | tóngyàng | same; equal; similar; similarly; also; too |
| 什么样 | shénmeyàng | what kind?; what sort? |
| 多样 | duōyàng | diverse; diversity |
| 模样 | múyàng | look; style |
| 不怎么 | bùzěnme | not very; not particularly |
Questions about 怎样
What does 怎样 mean?
怎样 (zěnyàng) means "how; what kind" and is used as a pronoun.
How do you write 怎样?
怎样 is made of 2 characters: 怎 (9 strokes), 样 (10 strokes). That is 19 strokes in total.
Is 怎样 an HSK word?
Yes. 怎样 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 怎样 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 怎样 is written 怎樣.
What is the difference between 怎样 and 怎么样?
They mean almost the same thing and often swap freely. 怎么样 is more common in everyday speech, especially for asking opinions, as in 你觉得怎么样？(Nǐ juéde zěnmeyàng?) What do you think? 怎样 feels slightly more written or formal.
Can 怎样 be used without asking a question?
Yes. It can mean "however" or "in whatever way" in statements, for example 不管怎样，我都会来。(Bùguǎn zěnyàng, wǒ dōu huì lái.) No matter what, I will come.