Expressing "not often" with "bu zenme"

不怎么 seems to mean "not how", but it actually can mean "not often" when used together with a verb.

不怎么 with a verb

When 不怎么 is used with a verb, it means that one does not put a lot of time or energy into doing it. In other words, the action is done "not often." When the verb is used with an object, it also means that the number (or quantity) is really small.

Subject + 不怎么 + Verb

Examples

• 他 不怎么 说话。He doesn't speak very often.
• 我 不怎么 吃 猪肉。I don't often eat pork.
• 我 老公 不怎么 做饭。My husband doesn't cook very often.
• 中国 大学生 不怎么 学习。Chinese college students don't study very often.
• 最近 我们 没怎么 看 电视 。We haven't watched a lot of television recently.

Note that the last example uses 没 instead of 不. This is because the verb uses or implies 有 it uses the same the 有 negation rules.

Lastly, make sure to use 不怎么 with a verb if you want it to mean "not often". Using it with an adjective gives it a different meaning.

See also

• How to do something
• Asking why with "zenme"
• "Not very" with "bu zenme"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇) (pp. 139) →buy
• 现代汉语八百词 （p.652) →buy