Chinese–EnglishWith examples

为什么

wèi shén me · wei shen me

Traditional 為什麼

HSK 2Old HSK 3

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. why?
  2. for what reason?
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In a conversation

0:18 cartoon

Why are you not eating?

  1. Liangliang

    灯灯(dēngdēng)，你(nǐ)为什么(wèishénme)不(bù)吃(chī)？

    Dengdeng, why aren't you eating?

  2. Dengdeng

    因为(yīnwèi)我(wǒ)不(bù)饿(è)。

    Because I'm not hungry.

  3. Liangliang

    为什么(wèishénme)不(bù)饿(è)？

    Why aren't you hungry?

  4. Dengdeng

    因为(yīnwèi)我(wǒ)早上(zǎoshang)吃(chī)了(le)三个(sāngè)包子(bāozi)。

    Because I ate three buns this morning.

  5. Liangliang

    为什么(wèishénme)吃(chī)三个(sāngè)？

    Why three?

  6. Dengdeng

    因为(yīnwèi)你(nǐ)说(shuō)请(qǐng)我(wǒ)吃(chī)早饭(zǎofàn)，可是(kěshì)你(nǐ)睡过头(shuìguòtóu)了(le)。

    Because you said you'd treat me to breakfast, but you overslept.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

你(nǐ)为(wèi)什(shén)么(me)没(méi)有(yǒu)来(lái)上(shàng)课(kè)？

Why didn't you come to class?

02

我(wǒ)不(bù)知(zhī)道(dào)他(tā)为(wèi)什(shén)么(me)这(zhè)么(me)生(shēng)气(qì)。

I don't know why he is so angry.

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How to write

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
为
wèi

because of; for

什
shén

what

么
má

exclamatory final particle

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

More words starting with WExplore words in context