为什么
HSK 2- Questions
Structure (结构 jiégòu)
Meaning (意思 yìsi)
为什么 is used to ask for a reason, equivalent to 'tại sao' or 'vì sao' in Vietnamese.
Explanation (解释 jiěshì)
Use 为什么 (wèishéme) when you want to ask about the cause or reason for something, exactly like 'tại sao' in Vietnamese. This is the most direct and common way to ask "why."
为什么 can appear at the beginning of a sentence or immediately after the subject. Both positions are natural. For example: 为什么你不来？ and 你为什么不来？ are both correct.
To answer a question containing 为什么, you will typically begin with 因为 (yīnwèi), meaning 'because.'
Examples (例句 lìjù)(5)
- 你为什么迟到了？繁: 你為什麼遲到了？Nǐ wèishéme chídào le?
Why were you late?
- 他为什么没来？繁: 他為什麼沒來？Tā wèishéme méi lái?
Why didn't he come?
- 你为什么学中文？繁: 你為什麼學中文？Nǐ wèishéme xué Zhōngwén?
Why are you learning Chinese?
- 天气为什么这么热？繁: 天氣為什麼這麼熱？Tiānqì wèishéme zhème rè?
Why is the weather so hot?
- 你为什么不高兴？繁: 你為什麼不高興？Nǐ wèishéme bù gāoxìng?
Why aren't you happy?
Common mistakes
- Wrong:你不去上学为什么？Correct:你为什么不去上学？
In questions, `为什么` typically appears at the beginning of the sentence or immediately after the subject; it should not be placed at the end of the sentence.
- Wrong:你什么不高兴？Correct:你为什么不高兴？
To ask "why," you must use the full phrase 为什么. Using only 什么 (what) is grammatically incorrect and changes the meaning.