怎么不... (zěn me bù...) - Why don't ...?
Interrogative structure to express surprise or curiosity about why someone doesn't do something
Chinese lesson from Sunday, May 25, 2025
📚 Key Phrase: 你怎么不来？ (nǐ zěn me bù lái?)
📖
Grammar Focus
The pattern
怎么不... (zěn me bù...) is used to express surprise, curiosity, or concern about why someone is NOT doing something that would normally be expected.Basic structure:
你/他/她 + 怎么 (zěn me) + 不 (bù) + [verb/adjective]🔍 Word-by-word breakdown:
• 你 (nǐ) – you
• 怎么 (zěn me) – why / how come
• 不 (bù) – not / don't
• 笑 (xiào) – smile / laugh
• 一笑 (yí xiào) – a smile / smile a little
• 你 (nǐ) – you
• 怎么 (zěn me) – why / how come
• 不 (bù) – not / don't
• 笑 (xiào) – smile / laugh
• 一笑 (yí xiào) – a smile / smile a little
📌 Grammar Note: The pattern "动词 + 一 + 动词 (dòng cí + yī + dòng cí)" (like 笑一笑 xiào yí xiào, 看一看 kàn yí kàn, 说一说 shuō yì shuō) is very common in Chinese. It serves to: soften the tone, indicate a brief or tentative action, and sound more natural and friendly.
你怎么不笑一笑？
nǐ zěn me bù xiào yí xiào?
Why don't you smile a little?
你怎么不说一说
nǐ zěn me bù shuō yì shuō
Why don't you say something?
你怎么不看一看
nǐ zěn me bù kàn yí kàn
Why don't you take a look?
💡 Common verbs with 怎么不 (zěn me bù):
• 来 (lái) - come: 你怎么不来？(nǐ zěn me bù lái?)
• 睡觉 (shuì jiào) - sleep: 你怎么不睡觉？(nǐ zěn me bù shuì jiào?)
• 说话 (shuō huà) - speak: 你怎么不说话？(nǐ zěn me bù shuō huà?)
• 开心 (kāi xīn) - happy: 你怎么不开心？(nǐ zěn me bù kāi xīn?)
• 接电话 (jiē diàn huà) - answer phone: 你怎么不接电话？(nǐ zěn me bù jiē diàn huà?)
• 来 (lái) - come: 你怎么不来？(nǐ zěn me bù lái?)
• 睡觉 (shuì jiào) - sleep: 你怎么不睡觉？(nǐ zěn me bù shuì jiào?)
• 说话 (shuō huà) - speak: 你怎么不说话？(nǐ zěn me bù shuō huà?)
• 开心 (kāi xīn) - happy: 你怎么不开心？(nǐ zěn me bù kāi xīn?)
• 接电话 (jiē diàn huà) - answer phone: 你怎么不接电话？(nǐ zěn me bù jiē diàn huà?)
你怎么不来？
nǐ zěn me bù lái?
Why don't you come?
¿Por qué no vienes?
词汇 Vocabulary
你怎么不来？
nǐ zěn me bù lái?
English:
Why don't you come?
Español:
¿Por qué no vienes?
你怎么不睡觉？
nǐ zěn me bù shuì jiào?
English:
Why don't you sleep?
Español:
¿Por qué no duermes?
你怎么不欢迎我？
nǐ zěn me bù huān yíng wǒ?
English:
Why don't you welcome me?
Español:
¿Por qué no me das la bienvenida?
你怎么不说话？
nǐ zěn me bù shuō huà?
English:
Why don't you talk?
Español:
¿Por qué no hablas?
你怎么不难过？
nǐ zěn me bù nán guò?
English:
Why aren't you sad?
Español:
¿Por qué no estás triste?
你怎么不想我？
nǐ zěn me bù xiǎng wǒ?
English:
Why don't you miss me?
Español:
¿Por qué no me extrañas?
你怎么不开心？
nǐ zěn me bù kāi xīn?
English:
Why aren't you happy?
Español:
¿Por qué no estás feliz?
你怎么不爱我？
nǐ zěn me bù ài wǒ?
English:
Why don't you love me?
Español:
¿Por qué no me amas?
你怎么不接电话呀？
nǐ zěn me bù jiē diàn huà ya?
English:
Why don't you answer the phone?
Español:
¿Por qué no contestas el teléfono?
你怎么不笑？
nǐ zěn me bù xiào?
English:
Why don't you smile?
Español:
¿Por qué no sonríes?
今天你怎么不笑？
jīn tiān nǐ zěn me bù xiào?
English:
Why don't you smile today?
Español:
¿Por qué no sonríes hoy?
你怎么不笑一笑？
nǐ zěn me bù xiào yí xiào?
English:
Why don't you smile a little?
Español:
¿Por qué no sonríes un poquito?
文化 Cultural Insights
In Chinese culture, asking "怎么不... (zěn me bù...)" is not always direct criticism. It often reflects genuine concern or friendly curiosity. For example, if someone usually smiles a lot but doesn't today, asking "你怎么不笑？(nǐ zěn me bù xiào?)" shows that you've noticed and care about their wellbeing.
The structure with "一 (yī)" (like in 笑一笑 xiào yí xiào) is especially common in daily speech because it softens the request and makes it sound less demanding. It's a very Chinese way of showing linguistic politeness.
📖 Reading Practice
📖 HSK Reading Practice
小明今天怎么不开心？
他的朋友问他："你怎么不笑？你怎么不说话？"
小明说："我今天很累。"
朋友说："你怎么不睡觉？你怎么不休息一下？"
小明想一想，说："好吧，我去睡觉。谢谢你。"
朋友笑一笑说："不客气。明天你怎么不来我家？我们一起吃饭。"
小明高兴地说："好的！明天见。"
作业 Homework & Practice
📝 Homework - Concerned Questions Everywhere!
1. Daily situations: Create 3 questions using 怎么不 (zěn me bù) for everyday scenarios
Example: 你怎么不吃饭？(nǐ zěn me bù chī fàn?) - Why don't you eat?
2. Emotional expressions: Write 2 sentences asking about feelings
Example: 你怎么不开心？(nǐ zěn me bù kāi xīn?) - Why aren't you happy?
3. Softening practice: Use the 动词+一+动词 (dòng cí + yī + dòng cí) pattern in 3 sentences
Examples:
• 你怎么不笑一笑？(nǐ zěn me bù xiào yí xiào?) - Why don't you smile a little?
• 你怎么不看一看？(nǐ zěn me bù kàn yí kàn?) - Why don't you take a look?
• 你怎么不想一想？(nǐ zěn me bù xiǎng yì xiǎng?) - Why don't you think about it?
4. Time expressions: Add time words to your questions
Example: 今天你怎么不说话？(jīn tiān nǐ zěn me bù shuō huà?) - Why don't you speak today?
5. Practice with 呀 (ya): Make your questions friendlier
Example: 你怎么不来呀？(nǐ zěn me bù lái ya?) - Why don't you come?
6. Reading challenge: Read the HSK story about 小明 (Xiǎo Míng) and identify all the 怎么不 (zěn me bù) patterns and 动词+一+动词 (dòng cí + yī + dòng cí) structures!
1. Daily situations: Create 3 questions using 怎么不 (zěn me bù) for everyday scenarios
Example: 你怎么不吃饭？(nǐ zěn me bù chī fàn?) - Why don't you eat?
2. Emotional expressions: Write 2 sentences asking about feelings
Example: 你怎么不开心？(nǐ zěn me bù kāi xīn?) - Why aren't you happy?
3. Softening practice: Use the 动词+一+动词 (dòng cí + yī + dòng cí) pattern in 3 sentences
Examples:
• 你怎么不笑一笑？(nǐ zěn me bù xiào yí xiào?) - Why don't you smile a little?
• 你怎么不看一看？(nǐ zěn me bù kàn yí kàn?) - Why don't you take a look?
• 你怎么不想一想？(nǐ zěn me bù xiǎng yì xiǎng?) - Why don't you think about it?
4. Time expressions: Add time words to your questions
Example: 今天你怎么不说话？(jīn tiān nǐ zěn me bù shuō huà?) - Why don't you speak today?
5. Practice with 呀 (ya): Make your questions friendlier
Example: 你怎么不来呀？(nǐ zěn me bù lái ya?) - Why don't you come?
6. Reading challenge: Read the HSK story about 小明 (Xiǎo Míng) and identify all the 怎么不 (zěn me bù) patterns and 动词+一+动词 (dòng cí + yī + dòng cí) structures!
Practice Checklist:
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