Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 怎麼樣 / 怎么样 | zam² mo¹ joeng⁶ | formal |
| 怎麼 / 怎么 | zam² mo¹ | formal |
| 怎樣 / 怎样 | zam² joeng⁶ | formal |
| 點樣 / 点样 | ||
| 點 / 点 | dim² | |
| 如何 | jyu⁴ ho⁴ | formal |
In very casual contexts, the single syllable 點 / 点 can be used in the phrase 點呀? (dim² aa³) to mean "how?" or "what's up?"
Which one should you use?
The forms range from highly formal to very colloquial. 怎麼樣 / 怎么样, 怎麼 / 怎么 and 怎樣 / 怎样 are formal options. 點樣 / 点样 is an informal synonym of 怎樣 / 怎样 and serves as the standard way to say "how" in everyday spoken Cantonese. 點 / 点 is a common, shortened colloquial version of 點樣 / 点样 used in speech. 如何 is a highly formal, literary term that can be used interchangeably with 怎樣 / 怎样.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal writing or serious contexts, use 如何 or 怎樣 / 怎样. While 如何 is highly formal and literary and rarely used in casual conversation, 怎麼 / 怎么 and 怎麼樣 / 怎么样 are also categorized as formal. For everyday spoken Cantonese, use the informal 點樣 / 点样 or its shortened version 點 / 点.
How does it change in a sentence?
When asking "how is it?" or "how about it?", the form 點樣 / 点样 is often used at the end of a sentence or as a predicate.
How do you pronounce it?
zam² mo¹ joeng⁶
Did you know?
- The character 樣 / 样 in 點樣 / 点样 literally means 'appearance' or 'shape'. When asking 'how', Cantonese speakers are essentially asking 'in what appearance' or 'in what shape' something is happening.
- The formal 怎麼 / 怎么 is shared with Mandarin, but in Cantonese, it is often perceived as an import of Northern styles. Locals overwhelmingly prefer 點樣 / 点样 to sound authentically Cantonese.
- The word 點 / 点 is also used to mean 'a little bit' or 'some'. This means the same character used to ask 'how' can also describe a small quantity of food or time.
Examples in context
- 食燒賣點樣先得好味？How can you make siu mai taste better?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
