WHY 為甚麼奚
BECAUSE of WHAT? [GRAMMAR]
Old Chinese Criteria
1. The most current general word for "why" is probably xī 奚.
2. Hé yǐ 何以 typically asks for a reason in the form of a purpose, but the word can also ask for a good intellectual reason, as in hé yǐ zhī zhī 何以知之 "how do you know".
3. Hú 胡 is a dialect word which often asks generally for reasons and is hard to distinguish semantically from xī 奚.
4. Hé 盍 "why not" is a contracted form of hé bù 何不.
2. Hé yǐ 何以 typically asks for a reason in the form of a purpose, but the word can also ask for a good intellectual reason, as in hé yǐ zhī zhī 何以知之 "how do you know".
3. Hú 胡 is a dialect word which often asks generally for reasons and is hard to distinguish semantically from xī 奚.
4. Hé 盍 "why not" is a contracted form of hé bù 何不.
Modern Chinese Criteria
為什麼
為甚麼
幹什麼
幹嗎
為何
為啥
何故
何以
怎麼
怎
咋
曷
胡
rough draft to BEGIN TO identify synonym group members for analysis, based on CL etc. 18.11.2003. CH ／ LU JIANMING
為甚麼
幹什麼
幹嗎
為何
為啥
何故
何以
怎麼
怎
咋
曷
胡
rough draft to BEGIN TO identify synonym group members for analysis, based on CL etc. 18.11.2003. CH ／ LU JIANMING
- Lateinische Synonyme und Etymologien
(
DOEDERLEIN 1840)
p.
WHY
cur introduces both genuine and rhetorical questions.
quare introduces rhetorical questions.
- 古汉语时间范畴词典
(
WANG HAIFEN 2001)
p.
191 Wang Haifen lists and analyses over 120 related words!
- The Encyclopedia of Philosophy
(
BORCHERT 2005)
p.
WHY
Words
何 hé OC: ɡlaal MC: ɦɑ 86 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- DELETErhetoricalwhy on earth? (one surely does not know why!)CH
- npro.postNPab{S}why is it so?
- npro.postSquestionWhy is that? why is it the case that S?; why is it so?, what is the reason of it?......,何也?
- npro{PRED}.postNab{S}{SUBJECT}Why is it that SCH
- padSquestionwhy?
- padVquestionwhy? (unknown answer invited)
- padVrhetoricalwhy on earth?
- ppostNwhat is the reason for N?CH
何故 hé gù OC: ɡlaal kaas MC: ɦɑ kuo̝ 23 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- NP+Vobjectivewhy? (i.e. for no good objective reason)
- NP+Vreasonwhy? (i.e. surely for no good subjective reason)
- NPadSwhy?
- NPadVobjectivefor what objective reason?
- NPadVpredicatewhy was (this)?
- NPadVquestionfor what reason?
- NPadvrhetoricalfor what reason? (surely one does not know!)CH
- NPadVsubjectiveWhy?
何也 hé yě OC: ɡlaal lalʔ MC: ɦɑ jɣɛ 22 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- PP{PRED}.postNab{S}{SUBJECT}CH
- PP{PRED}.postS{SUBJECT}questionWhy is that? Why was that?
何以 hé yǐ OC: ɡlaal k-lɯʔ MC: ɦɑ jɨ 18 Attributions
Hé yǐ 何以 typically asks for a reason in the form of a purpose, but the word can also ask for a good intellectual reason, as in hé yǐ zhī zhī 何以知之 "how do you know".
- Syntactic words
- VPadVjustificationto what purpose? why?
- VPadVreasonfor what reason?; why?DS
- VPadVrhetorical questionwhy on earth? surely for no good reason!
何為 hé wèi OC: ɡlaal ɢʷals MC: ɦɑ ɦiɛ 17 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- DELETErhetorical questionwhy?, for what reason?, what's the point?
- VPadVwhy?
- VPadVrhetorical questionWhat for?! For what reason?! On what grounds?!
奚 xī OC: ɡee MC: ɦei 16 Attributions
The most current general word for "why" is probably xī 奚.
- Syntactic words
- padVquestionwhy?
- padVrhetorical questionwhy?
云何 yún hé OC: ɢun ɡlaal MC: ɦi̯un ɦɑ 15 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- PPadSquestionwhy is it that...; in what respect is it that
- PPadVwhy?
- PPadVrhetorical questionWhy on earth? (i.e. for no good reason, for no reason whatsoever)
為什摩 wèi shí mó OC: ɢʷals ɡjub maal MC: ɦiɛ dʑip mʷɑ 15 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadVwhy, for what reason
盍 hé OC: ɡaab MC: ɦɑp 11 Attributions
Hé 盍 "why not" is a contracted form of hé bù 何不.
- Syntactic words
- padSquestionwhy not?
胡 hú OC: ɡaa MC: ɦuo̝ 11 Attributions
Hú 胡 is a dialect word which often asks generally for reasons and is hard to distinguish semantically from xī 奚.
- Syntactic words
- padVquestionwhy?
- padVrhetorical questionwhy on earth?CH
何者 hé zhě OC: ɡlaal kljaʔ MC: ɦɑ tɕɣɛ 11 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- NPpro{PRED}why? why so?
又何 yòu hé OC: ɢʷɯs ɡlaal MC: ɦɨu ɦɑ 9 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- PPexpected answer: no!why go on to? (expected answer: there is no reason to go on to...)
作什摩 zuò shí mó OC: tsaaɡ ɡjub maal MC: tsɑk dʑip mʷɑ 9 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPicolloquialwhy is it so> what is the point, how about this; what is the purpose (often following topicalized VP or S)
何則 hé zé OC: ɡlaal skɯɯɡ MC: ɦɑ tsək 8 Attributions
Why should this not V?
- Syntactic words
- PPpostSWhy is this? Why so?
奚為 xī wèi OC: ɡee ɢʷals MC: ɦei ɦiɛ 5 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadVquestionwhy?
作什麼 zuò shí mǒ OC: tsaaɡ ɡjub maalʔ MC: tsɑk dʑip mʷɑ 5 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPicolloquialwhy is it so> what is the point, how about this; what is the purpose (often following a topicalized VP or S)
焉用 yān yòng OC: qran k-loŋs MC: ʔiɛn ji̯oŋ 4 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadVexpected answer: no!what for?
緣何 yuán hé OC: k-lon ɡlaal MC: jiɛn ɦɑ 4 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- NPpro.adVwhy, for what reason
因什摩 yīn shí mó OC: qin ɡjub maal MC: ʔin dʑip mʷɑ 4 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadVquestionbecause of what > why?
胡為 hú wèi MC: hu hjweH OC: ɡaa ɢʷalsLZ 4 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadVrhetorical question(read hu2wei4) why, howLZ
曷為 hé wèi MC: hat hjweH OC: ɡaad ɢʷals 4 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadSwhy was it that S? sometimes emphatically doubtful: how (on earth) was it that S?CH
焉 yān OC: qran MC: ʔiɛn 3 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- padVrhetorical questionwhy
何其 hé qí OC: ɡlaal ɡɯ MC: ɦɑ gɨ 3 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- PPadVrhetorical questionHow? (answer NO there is no explanation, one should not, they should not...!!!)
何曾 hé céng OC: ɡlaal dzɯɯŋ MC: ɦɑ dzəŋ 3 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- PPadVrhetorical questionwhy? how come that V?
因何 yīn hé OC: qin ɡlaal MC: ʔin ɦɑ 3 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadVbecause of what > why; for what reason
夫何 fú hé OC: ba ɡlaal MC: bi̯o ɦɑ 3 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- PPadSwhy on earthCH
- PPadSquestionWhy?
如何 rú hé OC: nja ɡlaal MC: ȵi̯ɤ ɦɑ 3 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadSrhetorical questionwhy (presupposed answer: for no good reason)
何以故 hé yǐ gù OC: ɡlaal k-lɯʔ kaas MC: ɦɑ jɨ kuo̝ 3 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadV{PRED}.postN{SUBJ}:postSwhy?
- VPpostS1.adS2predicateAnd why is that so? (placed between S1 and S2, and S2 is explanatory of S1)
為什麼 wèi shí mǒ OC: ɢʷals ɡjub maalʔ MC: ɦiɛ dʑip mʷɑ 3 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadVcolloquialwhy, for what reason?
孰 shú OC: djɯwɡ MC: dʑuk 2 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- nprorhetorical questionwhy should one, why should he?
寧 nìng MC: nengH OC: neeŋs 2 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- padVread nìng: why? (i.e.: for no good reason)
何由 hé yóu OC: ɡlaal liw MC: ɦɑ jɨu 2 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadVwhy?
- VPipostN{SUBJ}why is that
何緣 hé yuán OC: ɡlaal k-lon MC: ɦɑ jiɛn 2 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadVusing what as grounds> why?
奚其 xī qí OC: ɡee ɡɯ MC: ɦei gɨ 2 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- PPadSWhy; why on earth?
如之何 rú zhī hé OC: nja kljɯ ɡlaal MC: ȵi̯ɤ tɕɨ ɦɑ 2 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPi(0)why?
- VPi(0)rhetorical questionwhy on earth?
安 ān MC: 'an OC: qaanCH 2 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- padVrhetoricalwhy on earth? (surely one does not know why!)CH
侯 hóu MC: huw OC: ɡooCH 2 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- padSwhyCH
蓋 hé OC: ɡaab MC: ɦɑp 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- padSrhetorical questionwhy not?
何意 hé yì OC: ɡlaal qɯɡs MC: ɦɑ ʔɨ 1 Attribution
- Studies in the Language of Zǔtáng jí 祖堂集
(
ANDERL 2004B)
p.
204-205 This compound is also used in BIANWEN. In ZTJ there is only one example for the meaning 'why'. In the other occurrences he2yi4 is used in its literary meaning 'have what meaning'.
It is possibly a graphic variant of 何以.
- 近代漢語研究概況 Jìndài hànyǔ yánjiū gàikuàng A Survey Study on Early Mandarin
(
JIANG SHAOYU 1994)
p.
131 Glossed as 豈料，何故
possibly a garphic variant of 何以
- Syntactic words
- NPadVquestionwhat meaning > why; how come?
何暇 hé xiá OC: ɡlaal ɡraas MC: ɦɑ ɦɣɛ 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- VPt+V[0]Why should one get to V? [One will have to look for more examples]
何處 hé chù OC: ɡlaal qhljas MC: ɦɑ tɕhi̯ɤ 1 Attribution
- 唐五代語言詞典 Táng Wǔdài yǔyán cídiǎn A Dictionary of the Language of the Tang and Five Dynasties Periods
(
JIANG/CAO 1997)
p.
157,#3 何以；為什麼
《博異志》
- Syntactic words
- NPadVpronominalwhy, for what reason, for what perpose
何遽 hé jù OC: ɡlaal ɡlas MC: ɦɑ gi̯ɤ 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- PP+Sexpected answer: no!Why? i.e. surely there is no reason! Mo: 吾言何遽不善？
何須 hé xū OC: ɡlaal so MC: ɦɑ si̯o 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- VPt+V[0]why should one V, what need is there to V > one should not V
作摩 zuò mó OC: tsaaɡ maal MC: tsɑk mʷɑ 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- VPipredicateTang: what is the reason for this? why is that so? what's the point of? (the usage as predicate is rare and usually 作摩 is suffixed with 生) (precursor of Modern Mandarin 怎麼)
作麼 zuò mǒ OC: tsaaɡ maalʔ MC: tsɑk mʷɑ 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- VPicolloquialwhy is it? what is the point of? what is the purpose of?
奚而 xī ér OC: ɡee njɯ MC: ɦei ȵɨ 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- PPadVrhetorical questionwhy?
奚遽 xī jù OC: ɡee ɡlas MC: ɦei gi̯ɤ 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- PPadSrhetorical questionwhy? (often in rhetorical questions)
將何 jiāng hé OC: skaŋ ɡlaal MC: tsi̯ɐŋ ɦɑ 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- VPirhetorical questionwhy?
用為 yòng wéi OC: k-loŋs ɢʷal MC: ji̯oŋ ɦiɛ 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- VPpostadVwhy?
遐 xiá MC: hae OC: ɡraaLZ 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- padVarchaic interrogative pronoun/adverb in SHI, obviously a loan characterLZ
庸何 yōng hé MC: yowng ha OC: k-loŋ ɡlaalCH 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- PPadVwhyCH
安事 ān zì MC: 'an tsriH OC: qaan tsrɯsCH 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- VPadVrhetoricalto what purpose?, with what concrete aim?CH
曷 hé MC: hat OC: ɡaadDS 1 Attribution
- Syntactic words
- npro.adVwhy?DS
奈何 nài hé OC: naads ɡlaal MC: nɑi ɦɑ 0 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadVexpected answer: no!Why? how come? (i.e. for no good reason!)
以何因緣 yǐ hé yīn yuán OC: k-lɯʔ ɡlaal qin k-lon MC: jɨ ɦɑ ʔin jiɛn 0 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- VPadSFor what reason?; why?
所以者何 suǒ yǐ zhě hé OC: sqraʔ k-lɯʔ kljaʔ ɡlaal MC: ʂi̯ɤ jɨ tɕɣɛ ɦɑ 0 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- V{S}what is the reason? Why?
Click here to add pinyin MC: OC: CH 0 Attributions
- Syntactic words
- padVrhetoricalwhy on earth? (surely one does not know why!)CH
Existing SW for
Here are Syntactic Words already defined in the database: