{"id":1282,"date":"2021-05-05T08:18:25","date_gmt":"2021-05-05T00:18:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maayot.com\/blog\/?p=1282"},"modified":"2023-08-15T12:58:02","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T04:58:02","slug":"why-in-chinese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.maayot.com\/blog\/why-in-chinese\/","title":{"rendered":"Ask the Right Questions: Learning to Say ‘Why’ in Chinese"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cWhy\u201d seems to be a very simple word, yet Chinese is such a complex language that it has many ways of saying it.<\/strong> The biggest difference here is between spoken and written Chinese. Since you have already started learning this language, you might have heard about it already: Chinese has a very rich formal language and a lot of official written forms that are very hard to grasp for a foreigner. However, you should not worry about it. Here is why:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The very good news is that you don\u2019t have to learn flowery written Chinese<\/strong>. It is actually hard to learn for native speakers themselves, so no one expects a foreigner to know it. Unless you are interested in it, of course. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best advice for you is to keep things simple, what it is very doable with Chinese.<\/strong> Mandarin, despite having an opinion of being notoriously hard to learn, has a very simple grammar. When asking questions, don\u2019t expect complicated polite forms like in Japanese, or sentence structure inversion like in English.  <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

With this guide, you will learn 3 simple ways to naturally ask questions in Chinese: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. \u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48<\/strong>\/ \u70ba\u4ec0\u9ebc (Tw), [w\u00e8i sh\u00e9nme]: the simplest, the easiest, the most basic expression you must know. <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    \u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48 literally means \u201dfor what\u201d, and it is formed with three characters: \u4e3a, which means for, meanwhile \u4ec0 and \u4e48 put together mean \u201cwhat\u201d. It is the easiest way to ask for an explanation, thus ask \u201cwhy\u201d<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Position in a sentence:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It is used after subject, so the structure is subject + \u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48 + predicate. After \u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48 you will most often put a verb. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Example sentences:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u4f60\u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48<\/strong>\u5b66\u4e2d\u6587\uff1f[n\u01d0 w\u00e8i sh\u00e9nme xu\u00e9 zh\u014dngw\u00e9n] : Why do you learn Chinese?<\/em> (This question you will hear several times per day if you go to China).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u4f60\u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48<\/strong>\u8981\u6765\u4e2d\u56fd\uff1f[n\u01d0 w\u00e8i sh\u00e9nmey\u00e0o l\u00e1i zh\u014dnggu\u00f3]: Why do you want to come to China? <\/em>(Another one you will hear many times). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Other easy sample sentences:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u4f60\u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48<\/strong>\u8981\u53bb\uff1f[n\u01d0 w\u00e8i sh\u00e9nme y\u00e0o q\u00f9]: Why do you want to go?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u4f60\u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48<\/strong>\u4e0d\u8981\u53bb\uff1f[n\u01d0 w\u00e8i sh\u00e9nme b\u00fa y\u00e0o q\u00f9]: Why don\u2019t you want to go?<\/em> (It is enough you put \u4e0d or \u6ca1 before the verb to ask a negative question).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u4f60\u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48<\/strong>\u60f3\u53bb\u4e2d\u56fd\u65c5\u6e38\uff1f[n\u01d0 w\u00e8i sh\u00e9nme xi\u01ceng q\u00f9 zh\u014dnggu\u00f3 l\u01day\u00f3u]: Why do you want to travel in China?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Answer:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Since we ask \u201cwhy\u201d, we should also learn how to say \u201cbecause\u201d. The proper answer to \u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48 question is \u56e0\u4e3a [y\u012bnwei], which means because<\/strong>.  Note that the second character is the same as the first one, and remember it means \u201cfor\u201d. However, be care careful: in \u201cbecause\u201d, the tone of \u4e3a changes to neutral<\/strong>, since it is easier to pronounce it this way. The first character \u56e0 means \u201creason\u201d. So \u56e0\u4e3a literally means \u201creason for\u201d. Logical, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Position in a sentence:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It is used in the same way as English \u201cbecause\u201d, so in the beginning of the sentence where we explain the reason.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Example sentences:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • \u4f60\u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48<\/strong>\u5b66\u4e2d\u6587\uff1f<\/li>
    • \u56e0\u4e3a<\/strong>\u6211\u8981\u53bb\u4e2d\u56fd\u8bfb\u4e66\u3002 [y\u012bnwei w\u01d2 y\u00e0o q\u00f9 zh\u014dnggu\u00f3 d\u00fash\u016b]\uff1aBecause I want to go to China to study.<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
      • \u4f60\u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48<\/strong>\u60f3\u53bb\u4e2d\u56fd\u65c5\u6e38\uff1f<\/li>
      • \u56e0\u4e3a<\/strong>\u4e2d\u56fd\u662f\u4e00\u4e2a\u5f88\u7f8e\u4e3d\u7684\u56fd\u5bb6\u3002[y\u012bnwei zh\u014dnggu\u00f3 sh\u00ec y\u012bge h\u011bn m\u011bil\u00ec de gu\u00f3ji\u0101]\uff1aBecause China is a beautiful country.<\/em> <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        You can also answer in a full sentence:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \u6211\u5b66\u4e2d\u6587\uff0c\u56e0\u4e3a\u6211\u8981\u53bb\u4e2d\u56fd\u8bfb\u4e66\u3002[w\u01d2 xu\u00e9 zh\u014dngw\u00e9n\uff0c y\u012bnwei w\u01d2 y\u00e0o q\u00f9 zh\u014dnggu\u00f3 d\u00fash\u016b]: I learn Chinese because I want to go to China to study. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Remember, however, that you don’t have to use \u56e0\u4e3a<\/strong> every time when you respond a question. Omitting that word and going straight with the answer is also acceptable, especially in a daily conversation. In fact, you may want to use \u56e0\u4e3a<\/strong> whenever you want to emphasise that you are answering a question. There is nothing hard here, it works exactly the same as in English. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Example:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        • \u4f60\u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48<\/strong>\u5b66\u4e2d\u6587\uff1f<\/li>
        • \u6211\u8981\u53bb\u4e2d\u56fd\u8bfb\u4e66\u3002<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          2. \u600e\u4e48\/ \u600e\u9ebc<\/strong>(Tw), [z\u011bnme]: it means both \u201chow to\u201d and \u201cwhy\u201d. When used as \u201cwhy\u201d, it sounds rather informal. It is often used in negative circumstances, but not only. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Position in a sentence:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Same as \u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48, so subject +\u600e\u4e48 + predicate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Example sentences:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \u4f60\u600e\u4e48\u6ca1\u6709\u6765\u4e0a\u5b66\uff1f [n\u01d0 z\u011bnme m\u00e9iy\u01d2u l\u00e1i sh\u00e0ngxu\u00e9]\uff1aWhy didn\u2019t you come to school?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \u4f60\u600e\u4e48\u82b1\u4e86\u90a3\u4e48\u957f\u65f6\u95f4\uff1f[n\u01d0 z\u011bnme hu\u0101le l\u00e1i name ch\u00e1ng sh\u00edji\u0101n]\uff1aWhy did you spend so much time?<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \u4f60\u600e\u4e48\u5566\uff1f[n\u01d0 z\u011bnme la]: What’s the matter with you?<\/em> It is a very popular expression. \u5566 is an auxiliary word that is a fusion between other auxiliary words you may have heard about already: \u4e86 [le] and \u554a [a]. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Answer:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          We answer \u600e\u4e48 question the same as \u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48 question, so we use \u56e0\u4e3a (or omit it). In fact, since \u600e\u4e48 is usually used in a daily conversation, you may often skip \u56e0\u4e3a just to keep things simple. For instance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          • \u4f60\u600e\u4e48\u6ca1\u6709\u6765\u4e0a\u5b66\uff1f<\/li>
          • \u6211\u751f\u75c5\u4e86 [w\u01d2 sh\u0113ngb\u00ecngle]\u3002I was sick.<\/em> <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
            • \u4f60\u600e\u4e48\u4e86\uff1f<\/li>
            • \u6211\u611f\u89c9\u4e0d\u8212\u670d [w\u01d2 g\u01cenju\u00e9 b\u00f9sh\u016bfu]: I am not feeling well. <\/em>In this sentence we don’t use \u56e0\u4e3a, since it is not a “why” question. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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              3. \u4e3a\u4f55<\/strong>\/ \u70ba\u4f55 (Tw), [w\u00e8ih\u00e9]: it has the same meaning as \u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48 but is sounds more formal, since\u4f55 is a formal equivalent of \u4ec0\u4e48. You will hear \u4e3a\u4f55 in spoken conversations less often than \u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48, but you may come across it in written texts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Position in a sentence:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Same as \u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48, so subject + \u4e3a\u4f55+ predicate. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

              Example sentences:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \u6211\u4eec\u4e3a\u4f55<\/strong>\u800c\u6d3b\uff1f[w\u01d2menw\u00e8ih\u00e9\u00e9r hu\u00f3] \uff1aWhy do we live?<\/em> Or better, what do we leave for? Quite a philosophical question. \u800c [\u00e9r] here indicates a causal relation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \u4e3a\u4f55\u5982\u6b64 <\/strong>[w\u00e8ih\u00e9r\u00fac\u01d0]: it is a useful structure that means \u201cwhy\u2026 that way\/ that much\/so much etc.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              For instance: \u6211\u4e3a\u4f55\u5982\u6b64\u7231\u4f60\uff1f[w\u01d2 w\u00e8ih\u00e9r\u00fac\u01d0 \u00e0in\u01d0]: Why do I love you so much?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Answer: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              We answer \u4e3a\u4f55 question the same as \u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48 question, so we use \u56e0\u4e3a (or omit it). For instance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              • \u6211\u4e3a\u4f55\u5982\u6b64\u7231\u4f60\uff1f<\/li>
              • \u56e0\u4e3a\u3002\u3002\u3002(well, I don\u2019t know what would be the correct answer to such a question). <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                Chinese may be a rather hard language to learn, but we can make it as easy as possible for you. In Maayot<\/a>, we specialise in Chinese reading and we can help you with grammar, vocabulary and learning new characters. If you want to know about Chinese, check out other articles on Maayot<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n