Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not very" with "bu zenme""

 
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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."   
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When you use 不怎么 (bù zěnme) before an adjective, it means "not very." You might use it to say something like "not very good."   
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
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<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 不怎么 + Adj. / Psychological Verb
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Subj. + 不怎么 + Adj. / [Psychological Verb]
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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.
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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 inoffensive comment.
  
 
== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
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*最近 <em>不 怎么</em> 忙 。<span class="pinyin">Zuìjìn <em>bù zěnme</em> máng.</span><span class="trans">It hasn't been very busy lately.</span>
 
*最近 <em>不 怎么</em> 忙 。<span class="pinyin">Zuìjìn <em>bù zěnme</em> máng.</span><span class="trans">It hasn't been very busy lately.</span>
 
*这里 的 冬天 <em>不 怎么</em> 冷 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de dōngtiān <em>bù zěnme</em> lěng.</span><span class="trans">It's not very cold here in winter.</span>
 
*这里 的 冬天 <em>不 怎么</em> 冷 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de dōngtiān <em>bù zěnme</em> lěng.</span><span class="trans">It's not very cold here in winter.</span>
*他们 好像 <em>不 怎么</em> 高兴 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen hǎoxiàng <em>bù zěnme</em> gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">They seem not very happy.</span>
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*他们 好像 <em>不 怎么</em> 高兴 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen hǎoxiàng <em>bù zěnme</em> gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">They don't seem to be very happy.</span>
*这 个 学生 <em>不 怎么</em> 努力 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège xuéshēng <em>bù zěnme</em> nǔlì.</span><span class="trans">This student isn't very hard-working.</span>
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*这个 学生 <em>不 怎么</em> 努力 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège xuéshēng <em>bù zěnme</em> nǔlì.</span><span class="trans">This student isn't very hard-working.</span>
 
*那 家 餐厅 <em>不 怎么</em> 干净 。<span class="pinyin">Nà jiā cāntīng <em>bù zěnme</em> gānjìng.</span><span class="trans">That restaurant isn't very clean.</span>
 
*那 家 餐厅 <em>不 怎么</em> 干净 。<span class="pinyin">Nà jiā cāntīng <em>bù zěnme</em> gānjìng.</span><span class="trans">That restaurant isn't very clean.</span>
 
*这个 老师 <em>不 怎么</em> 专业 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège lǎoshī <em>bù zěnme</em> zhuānyè.</span><span class="trans">This teacher isn't very professional.</span>
 
*这个 老师 <em>不 怎么</em> 专业 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège lǎoshī <em>bù zěnme</em> zhuānyè.</span><span class="trans">This teacher isn't very professional.</span>
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*我 <em>不 怎么</em> 喜欢 咖啡 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù zěnme</em> xǐhuan kāfēi.</span><span class="trans">I'm not very into coffee.</span>
 
*我 <em>不 怎么</em> 喜欢 咖啡 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù zěnme</em> xǐhuan kāfēi.</span><span class="trans">I'm not very into coffee.</span>
 
*他 跟 他 父母 长 得 <em>不 怎么</em> 像 。<span class="pinyin">Tā gēn tā fùmǔ zhǎng de <em>bù zěnme</em> xiàng.</span><span class="trans">He and his parents don't look very much alike.</span>
 
*他 跟 他 父母 长 得 <em>不 怎么</em> 像 。<span class="pinyin">Tā gēn tā fùmǔ zhǎng de <em>bù zěnme</em> xiàng.</span><span class="trans">He and his parents don't look very much alike.</span>
*他 去 美国 一 年 多 了 ,不过 <em>不 怎么</em> 想家 。<span class="pinyin">Tā qù Měiguó nián duō le, bùguò <em>bù zěnme</em> xiǎngjiā.</span><span class="trans">He's been in America for more than one year, but he's not very homesick.</span>
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*他 去 美国 一 年 多 了 ,不过 <em>不 怎么</em> 想家 。<span class="pinyin">Tā qù Měiguó nián duō le, búguò <em>bù zěnme</em> xiǎngjiā.</span><span class="trans">He's been in the USA for more than one year, but he's not very homesick.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Remember that to make 不怎么 mean "not very" use it with an adjective. Using it with a verb will give it [["Not_often"_with_"bu_zenme" |the meaning of "not often."]]
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Remember that to make 不怎么 mean "not very" you need to use it with an ''adjective''. Using it with a verb will give it [["Not_often"_with_"bu_zenme" |the meaning of "not often."]]
  
== See Also ==
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== See also ==
  
 
*[["Not often" with "bu zenme"]]
 
*[["Not often" with "bu zenme"]]
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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{{Source|Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)|139}}
  
* [[Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)]] (pp. 139) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00326U9MS/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B00326U9MS →buy]
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
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{{HSK|HSK0}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|不怎么|B1|不怎么 + Adj.|这里 的 菜 他 <em>不怎么 好吃</em> !|grammar point|ASGVYIZT}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|不怎么|B1|不怎么 + Adj.|这里 的 菜 他 <em>不怎么 好吃</em> !|grammar point|ASGVYIZT}}
 
{{Similar|How to do something with "zenme"}}
 
{{Similar|How to do something with "zenme"}}
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{{Used for|Adding more explanation}}
 
{{Used for|Adding more explanation}}
 
{{POS|Adjectives}}
 
{{POS|Adjectives}}
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{{Translation|not very}}

Latest revision as of 03:56, 15 May 2019

When you use 不怎么 (bù zěnme) before an adjective, it means "not very." You might use it to say something like "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. / [Psychological Verb]

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 inoffensive comment.

Examples

  • 最近 不 怎么 忙 。Zuìjìn bù zěnme máng.It hasn't been very busy lately.
  • 这里 的 冬天 不 怎么 冷 。Zhèlǐ de dōngtiān bù zěnme lěng.It's not very cold here in winter.
  • 他们 好像 不 怎么 高兴 。Tāmen hǎoxiàng bù zěnme gāoxìng.They don't seem to be very happy.
  • 这个 学生 不 怎么 努力 。Zhège xuéshēng bù zěnme nǔlì.This student isn't very hard-working.
  • 那 家 餐厅 不 怎么 干净 。Nà jiā cāntīng bù zěnme gānjìng.That restaurant isn't very clean.
  • 这个 老师 不 怎么 专业 。Zhège lǎoshī bù zěnme zhuānyè.This teacher isn't very professional.
  • 你 是 不 是 昨天 睡 得 不 怎么 好 ?Nǐ shì bu shì zuótiān shuì de bù zěnme hǎo?Did you not sleep very well last night?
  • 不 怎么 喜欢 咖啡 。bù zěnme xǐhuan kāfēi.I'm not very into coffee.
  • 他 跟 他 父母 长 得 不 怎么 像 。Tā gēn tā fùmǔ zhǎng de bù zěnme xiàng.He and his parents don't look very much alike.
  • 他 去 美国 一 年 多 了 ,不过 不 怎么 想家 。Tā qù Měiguó yì nián duō le, búguò bù zěnme xiǎngjiā.He's been in the USA for more than one year, but he's not very homesick.

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

See also

Sources and further reading

Books