How to use Chinese interrogative word “怎么样”

怎么样 / zěnmeyàng is a versatile little phrase. You're probably familiar with 怎么 / zěnme (how? / how come?), but as soon as you add 样 / yàng the meanings multiply. For example, 怎么样 can be used to ask for an opinion, or in the negative form to state that something is not all that good.

“怎么样/ zěnmeyàng”是一个非常常用的短语。你或许已经很熟悉“怎么/ zěnme”(how? / how come?)， 但如果在其后面加上“样”，其意义就更加丰富了。例如，“怎么样”可以用于询问他人的观点，或来表示某件事不是特别好。

This post includes 4 ways to use 怎么样 like a native Chinese speaker.

Firstly, let's look at the character breakdown:

怎 / zěn / what? why? How?

么 / me / interrogative particle

样 / yàng / shape, form, pattern, manner

So we can see this word relates to the "how" or "what" or "manner" of something.

我们将在本文介绍“怎么样”的4种地道的使用方法。

首先，我们来看该短语的构造：

“怎 / zěn ”的意思是什么、为什么、如何。

“么 / me ”是疑问语气助词。

“样 / yàng ”的意思是形状、形态、模式、方式。

从该短语的构造可以看出，该短语和某件事“如何”、“什么”或“方式”有关。

Granted that's a bit abstract, so below are 4 ways to actually use it in a sentence:

假如上文的介绍有点抽象，请看“怎么样”在以下例句中的4种具体用法：

1. How's it going? – 怎么样？

A common way to make small talk, 怎么样 can be used as an informal way to ask:

用于寒暄问候，你最近怎么样？“怎么样”可作为非正式语。

例如：

怎么样？

Zěnmeyàng？

How's it going?

你最近怎么样？

Nǐ zuìjìn zěnmeyàng？

How have you been lately?

最近生意怎么样？

Zuìjìn shēngyì zěnmeyàng?

How's business lately?

2. What do you think? How about it? – 你认为怎么样？

When you want someone's opinion, add 怎么样 at the end of a sentence:

当询问某人的观点的时候，你可以在句末加上“怎么样”。

例如：

你觉得她怎么样?

Nǐ juéde tā zěnmeyàng?

What do you think of her?

他做得怎么样 ？

Tā zuò de zěnmeyàng?

How did he do? / How well did he do?

新开的餐厅你觉得怎么样?

Xīn kāi de cāntīng nǐ juéde zěnmeyàng?

What did you think of the new restaurant?

这个博客你觉得怎么样？

Zhè ge bókè nǐ juéde zěnmeyàng?

What do you think of this blog?

跟我一起去，怎么样？

Gēn wǒ yīqǐ qù, zěnmeyàng?

How about we go together?

3. It's not up to much – 不怎么样

You can add 不 (bù) to negate 怎么样 in order to state that something is "not up to much" or "not too good" (in this case, it's not a question). For example:

你可以在“怎么样”前面加“不(bù)”表示某件事没什么价值或不怎么好。

例如：

这本小说不怎么样。

Zhè běn xiǎoshuō bù zěnmeyàng.

This novel isn't up to much.

他画得并不怎么样。

Tā huà de yě bìng bù zěnmeyàng.

He's really not much of a painter.

4. Drop the 么 /me – 省略“么”

On the Mainland, most people say 怎么样 but you'll also hear 怎样, especially in Tawain. 怎样 can be used interchangeably with 怎么样.

在中国大陆，大部分人都使用“怎么样”，但也有人使用“怎样”，尤其是在台湾。“怎样”和“怎么样”二者可以通用。

We hope this clarifies the usages of 怎么样 and gives you the confidence to go use it for yourself. 怎么样 is quite colloquial – use it with friends and co-workers and in your daily life to ask opinions and make small talk!

我们希望本文清楚地阐述了“怎么样”的用法，并让你能够自信地使用这一短语。“怎么样”是非常口语化的短语，在日常生活中你可以用该短语问候朋友或同事，也可以用它来询问他人的观点。