HSK 6
不怎么
bù zěn me
不怎么 - Not very, not quite... much
Explanation
不怎么 (bù zěnme) is an adverbial phrase (modifying a verb or adjective) used to negate mildly, meaning 'not very...', 'not particularly', rather than a complete negation.
不怎么 + adjective / verb.
不怎么 + 好看 (hǎokàn: good-looking) = not very good-looking.
when you want to evaluate at a low level politely, softening it, avoiding saying directly 'ugly' or 'don't like'; common in colloquial speech.
不怎么 (not very...) is milder than 不 (not) or 一点儿也不 (yīdiǎnr yě bù: not even a little bit); 不怎么 still admits there is a little, while 一点儿也不 is a total negation.
translating it rigidly as 'not any way' based on the literal meaning of 怎么 (zěnme: how) — here 不怎么 is a fixed phrase meaning 'not particularly'; and do not place 不怎么 after the adjective, it must come BEFORE.
Examples
This outfit isn't very good-looking, let's switch to another one.
He doesn't much care about these small matters.
He seems a bit unwell today.
Practice
Test your understanding with a quick quiz
Learn “不怎么” effectively
The grammar point “不怎么” (不怎么 - Not very, not quite... much) is one of the key structures at HSK 6. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
Study tip: read the examples aloud many times to build a natural reflex. Then try making your own sentences for your own situations. Use the audio button to hear and practice accurate pronunciation.
You can also view the full “” lesson to understand the related grammar and vocabulary more deeply.