怎 (zěn) is a Chinese character meaning “how”. It is written from 乍 (suddenly; abruptly (also the sound part in 作, 昨, 炸)) and 心 (heart; mind), one above the other, and takes 9 strokes.
Build the character for “how”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
乍 + 心
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: studyhanzi 构形分析（IDS ⿱乍心，对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔顺核验；传统分析为形声，从心乍声）
Memory aid
乍 (suddenly) lands on top of 心 (heart): your heart jumps all at once — "how?! what now?" That question is 怎.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
9 strokes
In real words
- 怎么zěn mehow; what; why怎 = zěn
- 怎样zěn yànghow; in what way; what is it like怎 = zěn
Go deeper
All readings
how
how; why; in what way (used to ask about manner, reason or condition)
用来询问方式、原因或情况，多与「么、样」连用。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 怎么zěn mehow; what; why怎 = zěn
- 怎样zěn yànghow; in what way; what is it like怎 = zěn
Sound component
乍 family diverged
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 怎 mean?
怎 (zěn) means how; why; in what way (used to ask about manner, reason or condition).
How do you pronounce 怎?
It is pronounced zěn.
What parts is 怎 made of?
乍 (suddenly; abruptly (also the sound part in 作, 昨, 炸)) and 心 (heart; mind), one above the other. The recorded source is: studyhanzi 构形分析（IDS ⿱乍心，对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔顺核验；传统分析为形声，从心乍声）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 怎 have?
9. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 怎?
心. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 怎?
Common ones are 怎么 and 怎样. The reading of 怎 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.