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plThe interrogative pronouns zěnmeyàng 怎么样 / 怎麼樣 ‘how’, ‘what kind of’and zěnyàng 怎样/怎樣 ‘how’, ‘what kind of’ are very similar in meaning and usage. In the majority of cases they can be used interchangeably. They express a question about the nature, condition or manner of something.
Structure
These pronouns most often occur in interrogative sentences.
Questions
In interrogative sentences, the pronouns zěnmeyàng 怎么样 / 怎麼樣 ‘how’, ‘what kind of’or zěnyàng 怎样/怎樣 ‘how’, ‘what kind of’usually occupy the position of the sentence element that the question refers to.
As a predicate
These pronouns can function as a predicate.
With time expressions
If a question contains a time expression, it is usually placed between the subject and the pronoun zěnmeyàng 怎么样 / 怎麼樣 ‘how’, or zěnyàng 怎样/怎樣 ‘how’.
The time expression can also appear before the subject. Used in this way it often emphasises a contrast with another point in time.
With adverbs
If a sentence contains adverbs, they usually precede the predicate (zěnmeyàng 怎么样 / 怎麼樣 ‘how’, or zěnyàng 怎样/怎樣 ‘how’).
As a complement
The pronouns zěnmeyàng 怎么样 / 怎麼樣 ‘how’ and zěnyàng 怎样/怎樣 ‘how’ can also occupy the position of a complement. In this case, they follow the verb with the structural particle de 得.
As an attributive modifier
The pronouns zěnmeyàng 怎么样 / 怎麼樣 ‘what kind of’ and zěnyàng 怎样/怎樣 ‘what kind of’ can function as an attributive modifier. When used in this way, they precede the noun they modify and are followed by the structural particle de 的.
Negation
The pronoun zěnmeyàng 怎么样 / 怎麼樣 ‘how’ can also be used with the adverb of negation bù 不 ‘not’. The expression bù zěnmeyàng 不怎么样 / 不怎麼樣 means ‘not very good’, ‘not the best’.
Note! The pronoun zěnyàng 怎样/怎樣 ‘how’ cannot be used in this way.
Functions
1. Asking about the characteristics of somebody or something
Zěnmeyàng 怎么样 / 怎麼樣 ‘how’ and zěnyàng 怎样/怎樣 ‘how’ can be used to ask about the characteristics of someone or something.
The pronouns zěnmeyàng 怎么样 / 怎麼樣 ‘what kind of’ or zěnyàng 怎样/怎樣 ‘what kind of’ can also be used before nouns to ask about their characteristics.
2. Asking about someone’s wellbeing
The phrase person + zěnmeyàng 怎么样 / 怎麼樣 ‘how’/ zěnyàng 怎样/怎樣 ‘how’ can be used to ask about someone’s wellbeing and serve as a form of greeting.
The pronoun zěnmeyàng 怎么样 / 怎麼樣 ‘how’ or zěnyàng 怎样/怎樣 ‘how’ on its own can be used in a similar way.
3. Asking about someone’s opinion
When placed at the end of a sentence expressing a suggestion, zěnmeyàng 怎么样 / 怎麼樣 ‘how’ and zěnyàng 怎样/怎樣 ‘how’ are used to ask about someone’s opinion.
4. Expressing ‘not very good’
The phrase bù zěnmeyàng 不怎么样 / 不怎麼樣 ‘not very good’, ‘not the best’ conveys the idea that something is not very good. The pronoun zěnyàng 怎样/怎樣 ‘how’, ‘what kind of’ cannot be used in this way.