谁？
shéi?
Who?
How to say "why?" in Chinese
为什么？
wèishénme?
Why?
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
为什么 is a compound of 为 (wèi, 'for') and 什么 (shénme, 'what'), literally 'for what'. It functions as a single interrogative adverb meaning 'why'.
Variations and politeness
你为什么？
nǐ wèishénme?
Why (did) you...? — More colloquial, often used as an incomplete question.
为何？
wèihé?
Why? — More formal or literary.
Mini dialogue
A
你为什么不来？
nǐ wèishénme bù lái?
Why didn't you come?
B
我有事。
wǒ yǒu shì.
I was busy.
When to use it
Appropriate
- When asking for a reason or cause in any situation.
- When you want a neutral, straightforward 'why' question.
Avoid when
- When you need a very formal or literary tone; use 为何 instead.
- When you want to express 'why not?' as a suggestion; use 为什么不 (wèishénme bù) instead.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'why' in Chinese?
You say 为什么 (wèishénme?). It is the standard word for 'why' in Mandarin.
How do you pronounce 为什么?
It is pronounced wèishénme? with a falling tone on 'wèi', rising tone on 'shén', and neutral tone on 'me'.
When do you use 为什么?
Use 为什么 whenever you want to ask for a reason or cause. It works in both formal and informal situations.
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