Expressing "not very" with "bu zenme"

When you use 不怎么 (bù zěnme) before an adjective, it means "not very." This structure is similar to how English speakers may say something is "not very good."

Structure

When used together with an adjective, 不怎么 becomes similar to 不太, which means that the degree of the adjective is not very high.

Subj. + 不怎么 + Adj.

Using this grammar structure is a way to indirectly or mildly state something. Instead of saying "他不聪明" (tā bù cōngming) you can say "他不怎么聪明" (tā bù zěnme cōngming), turning a very direct statement to a milder, more wayward statement.

Examples

• 我 觉得 这个 菜 不 怎么 好吃。Wǒ juédé zhège cài bù zěnme hǎochī.I think this food isn't very tasty.
• 这个 人 不 怎么 大方。Zhège rén bù zěnme dàfang.This person isn't very generous.
• 这里 的 冬天 不 怎么 冷。Zhèlǐ de dōngtiān bù zěnme lěng.It's not very cold here in winter.
• 他 的 工资 不 怎么 高。Tā de gōngzī bù zěnme gāo.His salary isn't very high.
• 她 家 不 怎么 干净。Tā jiā bù zěnme gānjìng.Her house isn't very clean.
• 这 个 词 不 怎么 实用。Zhège cí bù zěnme shíyòng.This word isn't very practical.
• 这 个 学生 不 怎么 努力。Zhège xuéshēng bù zěnme nǔlì.This student isn't very hard-working.
• 他 工作 的 时候 不 怎么 认真。Tā gōngzuò de shíhou bù zěnme rènzhēn.He isn't very careful when he's at work.
• 我 的 中文 不 怎么 流利。Wǒe de Zhōngwén bù zěnme liúlì.My Chinese isn't very fluent.
• 他们 看起来 不 怎么 高兴。Tāmen kànqǐlái bù zěnme gāoxìng.They seem not very happy.

Remember that to make 不怎么 mean "not very" use it with an adjective. Using it with a verb will give it the meaning of "not often."

See Also

• "Not often" 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