为什么

Learning Chinese: How to Say "Why" in Chinese

Chinese Characters: 为什么
Pinyin: wèi shén me
Pronunciation: wei4 shen2 me5
English Translation: Why

Usage:

"为什么 (wèi shén me)" is the most common way to say "why" in Chinese. It can be used in both questions and statements.

Example:

Chinese: 你为什么学习中文？
Pinyin: Nǐ wèi shén me xuéxí zhōngwén?
English: Why are you learning Chinese?
Variations:

There are a few variations of "为什么 (wèi shén me)" that you may hear:

怎么 (zěn me): A more informal way to say "why," similar to "how come" in English.
为何 (wèi hé): A more formal way to say "why," often used in written Chinese.
Tips for Learning:

Practice saying "为什么 (wèi shén me)" out loud to improve your pronunciation.
Listen to native Chinese speakers asking "why" to get a sense of the natural rhythm and intonation.
Use "为什么 (wèi shén me)" in your daily conversations to practice using it in context.
Additional Notes:

"为什么 (wèi shén me)" is typically used to ask questions about the reason or cause of something.
To ask a more specific question about the purpose of something, you can use "为了什么 (wèi le shén me)", which means "for what reason."
For example:

Chinese: 你为了什么学习中文？
Pinyin: Nǐ wèi le shén me xuéxí zhōngwén?
English: What is your purpose for learning Chinese?