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HSK 2 word · question word

为什么

wèi shén me

why

Traditional: 為什麼

Stroke order

See how to write 为什么

Watch the animation, then write the character yourself — stroke order matters for speed and recognition.

1234

4 strokes

1234

4 strokes

123

3 strokes

Example sentence

你为什么笑?

Nǐ wèi shén me xiào?

Why are you smiling?

Character breakdown

person

+

ten

=

what

A person (亻) and ten (十) — used in 什么 (what).

See every word built from the radical

Keep exploring

Frequently asked questions about 为什么

What does 为什么 mean?
为什么 (wèi shén me) means "why" in English. It is an HSK 2 vocabulary word.
What is the traditional form of 为什么?
The traditional Chinese form of 为什么 is 為什麼.
How many strokes does 为 have?
为 has 4 strokes. Follow the stroke order diagram above to write it correctly.
Which HSK level is 为什么 in?
为什么 is part of the HSK 2 word list, so it belongs to the elementary vocabulary band taught in the daily lessons.