怎么 (zěn me) is an interrogative adverb meaning 'how' or 'in what way'. Though it appears to consist of two characters, it functions as a single unit and cannot be separated in questions — you never say *‘怎’* alone to mean 'how'. The first character 怎 is the semantic core, historically related to questioning, while 么 is a grammatical particle that softens and completes the interrogative form. It’s used to ask about manner, method, reason, or condition, often implying surprise or concern when placed at the beginning of a sentence.

This word frequently appears in everyday spoken Chinese: asking for instructions ('How do I get there?'), expressing confusion ('How did this happen?'), or reacting to unexpected situations ('How come you’re late?'). It can also combine with other words to form expressions like 怎么了 (What’s wrong?) or 怎么样 (How is it?). Unlike formal written alternatives such as 为何 or 如何, 怎么 is neutral-to-informal and dominates conversational speech across all age groups.