‘这样’ (zhè yàng) literally combines ‘这’ (zhè), meaning ‘this’, and ‘样’ (yàng), meaning ‘kind’, ‘type’, or ‘way’. Together, it functions primarily as an adverb meaning ‘like this’ or ‘this way’, describing how an action is performed or how a situation exists. It often appears before verbs or at the end of clauses to indicate manner or method — for example, ‘这样做’ (do it like this) or ‘事情是这样的’ (the situation is like this).

It can also serve as a pronoun meaning ‘this kind/way of thing’, especially in contexts like ‘这样不好’ (this is not good). While occasionally used as a noun in formal or literary contexts, its everyday function is overwhelmingly adverbial. Learners should note that ‘这样’ refers to something immediately present or just mentioned — never something distant or abstract without context.