Chinese grammar - Asking 'how' or 'why' with 怎么 (zěnme)

Asking 'how' or 'why' with 怎么 (zěnme)

To ask 'how' to do something or 'how' something happens in Chinese, we use 怎么 (zěnme).

It can also be used to ask why something is the case, often conveying a sense of surprise or confusion, like 'How can it be that…?'

It can also be used to ask about the reason for a condition or state of something. Like 'how come?'.

And finally, it can also be used to ask about something is done, or method. Like 'In what way?'.

Examples:
	你怎么写这个字？ nǐ zěnme xiě zhè ge zì? How do you write this character? Asking about method (how)
	他怎么学中文？ tā zěnme xué zhōngwén? How did he learn Chinese? Asking about method (how)
	你们怎么去上班？ nǐmen zěnme qù shàngbān? How do you go to work? Asking about method (how)
	我们怎么打这个游戏？ wǒmen zěnme dǎ zhè ge yóuxì? How do we play this game? Asking about method (how)
	你怎么这么做？ nǐ zěnme zhème zuò? How do you do it this way? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that)
	你怎么这么早？ nǐ zěnme zhème zǎo? How are you so early? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that)
	你怎么不吃饭？ nǐ zěnme bù chīfàn? Why are you not eating? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that)
	他怎么还没到？ tā zěnme hái méi dào? Why hasn't he arrived yet? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that)
	你怎么不喜欢看书？ nǐ zěnme bù xǐhuān kànshū? Why don't you like reading? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that)
	他们怎么不来了？ tāmen zěnme bù lái le? Why aren't they coming anymore? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that)
	她怎么这么爱你？ tā zěnme zhème ài nǐ? How is it that she loves you so much? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that)
	你今天怎么迟到了？ nǐ jīntiān zěnme chídào le? Why were you late today? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that)
	他怎么不会说中文？ tā zěnme bú huì shuō zhōngwén? How is it that he can't speak Chinese? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that)
	她怎么英语说得这么好？ tā zěnme yīngyǔ shuō de zhème hǎo? How is it that she speaks English so well? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that)
	你怎么这么开心？ nǐ zěnme zhème kāixīn? How are you so happy? Asking about conditions (how Is)
	这个菜怎么这么咸？ zhè ge cài zěnme zhème xián? How is this dish so salty? Asking about conditions (how Is)
	他怎么那么高？ tā zěnme nàme gāo? How is he so tall? Asking about conditions (how Is)
	他怎么这么不认真？ tā zěnme zhème bù rènzhēn? How is he so careless? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that) 认真 (rènzhēn) means 'serious'
	他怎么是你的老师？ tā zěnme shì nǐ de lǎoshī? How come he is your teacher? Asking about identity or nature (how Come)
	你怎么那么早来了？ nǐ zěnme nàme zǎo lái le? How come you came so early? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that)
	我们怎么没听说过这件事？ wǒmen zěnme méi tīngshuō guò zhè jiàn shì? How come we never heard about this (matter)? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that) 件(jiàn) is the measure word for matters, events, clothes 听说 (tīngshuō) means 'to hear' or 'to hear about' 事 (shì) means 'matter' or 'thing'
	你怎么还在这里？ nǐ zěnme hái zài zhèlǐ? How come you are still here? Asking about reasons, surprise (why, how is that)