Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 為甚麼 / 為什麼 / 为什么 | wèishénme | |
| 怎麼 / 怎么 | zěnme | |
| 為何 / 为何 | wèihé | formal |
| 幹嗎 / 幹嘛 | gànmá | colloquial |
| 為啥 / 为啥 | wèishá | dialectal |
The standard way to ask for a reason in Chinese is using 為甚麼 / 為什麼 / 为什么. Other forms exist depending on whether you are expressing surprise, questioning an action or using a specific dialect.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 為甚麼 / 為什麼 / 为什么 is composed of 為 meaning "for" and 什麼 meaning "what", literally translating to "for what matter/reason".
Which one should you use?
While 為甚麼 / 為什麼 / 为什么 specifically asks for a reason, 怎麼 / 怎么 can also be used to mean "why" when the speaker is expressing surprise or asking how a certain situation came to be.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The most common and standard way to say "why" is 為甚麼 / 為什麼 / 为什么. For a more literary or formal tone, often found in written Chinese or formal speeches, use 為何 / 为何. In highly colloquial situations where you are questioning someone's actions or motives, you can use 幹嗎 / 幹嘛, which can also mean "what for" or "what are you doing".
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form 為啥 / 为啥 is a colloquialism common in northern Chinese dialects.
How do you pronounce it?
wèishénme
Did you know?
- The word 幹 in the colloquial 幹嗎 / 幹嘛 can be considered vulgar or aggressive in certain contexts because it is a more blunt term for 'do' than 做.
- The colloquial term 幹嗎 / 幹嘛 evolved from the Tianjin dialect. It blends the word for 'do' with a regional variation of the word for 'what'.
- In spoken Chinese, people often avoid using 為什麼 / 为什么 in a series of questions because it can sound overly insistent or accusatory. Instead, they may use 怎麼 / 怎么 to soften the tone.
Examples in context
- 为什么你没有来参加会议？ (Wèi shén me nǐ méi yǒu lái cān jiā huì yì?)Why didn't you come to the meeting?
- 这个文件怎么回事？ (Zhè ge wén jiàn zěn me huí shì?)Why is this document like this?
- 这台电脑怎么回事啊？ (Zhè tái diàn nǎo zěn me huí shì a?)What's wrong with this computer?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “why” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 幹嗎, CC BY-SA 4.0.
