百
Bǎi
100, hundred
为什么 (wèi shénme) — how to say "why?" in Chinese
为什么
Why?
Character composition
为
for, because of
什
what
么
question suffix
Radicals / Keys
丶
Dot
#3 · zhǔ · 1 strokes
丿
Slash
#4 · piě · 1 strokes
人
Man
#9 · rén · 2 strokes
Examples
你为什么不去上班？
Why aren't you going to work?
你为什么来
Why did you come?
Mnemonic
[wèi shénme-] Wayne and Sherman are dressed as giant question marks, asking themselves 为什么 "WHY?" 🤔. They've done it for a carnival, pondering what 什 fun it brings and how 么 it makes everyone laugh, adding a sense of whimsy to their day.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "why?" in Chinese?
"why?" in Chinese is 为什么 (wèi shénme).
What does 为什么 mean in English?
为什么 (wèi shénme) means "Why?".
How is 为什么 pronounced?
It is pronounced wèi shénme (written as wei shenme, weishenme). The page has audio recorded by a native speaker.
How do you write "why?" in Chinese characters?
It is written 为什么.
What HSK level is 为什么?
为什么 belongs to the HSK 2 vocabulary list.
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