Learn a Chinese Character - 怎 (zěn) - How; Why

1. Character Basics (汉字基本信息)

Radical: 心 (Heart radical, indicating the character is related to emotions or thoughts)

Stroke Count: 9

Character Decomposition: 乍 + 心 (乍 means suddenly or unexpectedly, combined with 心 to form the concept of asking about a situation)

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation (发音)

Pinyin: zěn (Third tone)

3. Meaning (含义)

怎 is mainly used to form interrogative sentences, expressing "how" or "why". It is often used to ask about the way something is done or the reason for something.

4. Common Words (常用词汇)

• 怎么 (zěn me) - How; What's going on
• 怎样 (zěn yàng) - How; What kind of
• 怎会 (zěn huì) - How could; Why would

5. Grammar & Usage (语法与用法)

怎 is often used at the beginning of a question to introduce an inquiry about the manner, method, or reason. It can be combined with other words like "么", "样" etc. For example, 怎么 is used more commonly in spoken language to ask about the way or the reason of something.

6. Cultural Background (文化背景)

In Chinese daily communication, 怎 is widely used to express curiosity, doubt, or to seek information. It reflects the Chinese people's way of interacting and asking questions. Using such interrogative words helps to clarify situations and understand each other better in conversations.

7. Example Sentence (例句)

8. Memory Tips (记忆技巧)

You can remember 怎 by associating it with the idea that when you suddenly (乍) have a thought in your heart (心), you might start to ask "how" or "why". Visualize the character components to help fix it in your memory.