如何

Chinese

Pronunciation

Adverb

如何 (formal)

1. how; what; in what way

   如何拍攝液體流動照片 [MSC, trad.]
   如何拍摄液体流动照片 [MSC, simp.]

   rúhé pāishè yètǐ liúdòng zhàopiàn

   how to take pictures of flowing liquids

   她教我如何游泳。 [MSC, trad. and simp.]

   Tā jiāo wǒ rúhé yóuyǒng.

   She taught me how to swim.

   你現在感覺如何？ [MSC, trad.]
   你现在感觉如何？ [MSC, simp.]

   Nǐ xiànzài gǎnjué rúhé?

   How do you feel now?

   你覺得這個計劃如何？ [MSC, trad.]
   你觉得这个计划如何？ [MSC, simp.]

   Nǐ juéde zhè ge jìhuà rúhé?

   What do you think of this plan?

   如何讓一個男生覺得你很特別？ [MSC, trad.]
   如何让一个男生觉得你很特别？ [MSC, simp.]

   Rúhé ràng yīge nánshēng juéde nǐ hěn tèbié?

   How can you make a boy think you're special?

   在陳老師的春風化雨下，我學會了如何待人接物。 [MSC, trad.]
   在陈老师的春风化雨下，我学会了如何待人接物。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zài Chén lǎoshī de chūnfēnghuàyǔ xià, wǒ xuéhuì le rúhé dàirénjiēwù.

   Under the positive influence of Teacher Chen, I've learnt to how to get along with others.

2. how about; what about

   下週六如何？／下周六如何？  ―  Xià zhōuliù rúhé?  ―  How about next Saturday?

Synonyms

• (how):

• (how about): (Mandarin) 怎麼樣／怎么样 (zěnmeyàng)

Derived terms

Further reading

• “Entry #50014”, in 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2023.

Japanese

Etymology 1

From Old Japanese, in turn from Proto-Japonic *e-ka. Appears in the Man'yōshū completed in 759 CE.

A surface analysis suggests a compound of い (i, uncertain element, likely the same い (i) prefix found in Old Japanese as an interrogative in いずれ (izure, “which”), いつ (itsu, “when”), etc.) +‎ か (ka, the question marker particle).

The kanji spelling is an example of jukujikun (熟字訓), using the corresponding Chinese term 如何 (rúhé, literally “like what”) for the spelling and the underlying Japanese root word for the reading.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) いか​ (Odaka – )
• IPA^(key):

Adjective

如何(いか) • (ika) -na (adnominal 如何(いか)な (ika na), adverbial 如何(いか)に (ika ni))

1. what kind of

Usage notes

Some dictionaries class this as a bound morpheme. In practice, it generally conjugates and behaves as a regular -na adjective. In formal writing, this is more commonly encountered using the classical attributive form 如何なる (ika naru).

Inflection

Derived terms

• いかに (ikani)
• 争(いか)で (ikade)
• いかなる (ikanaru)

Etymology 2

/ika ni ka/ → */ikanka/ → /ikanɡa/ → /ikaɡa/

Originally a phrase consisting of 如何 (ika, “what kind”) +‎ に (ni, adverbial particle) +‎ か (ka, question marker particle).

The uncontracted form ika ni ka appears in the Man'yōshū completed in 759 CE. The fully contracted form ikaga is first cited to the Kokin Wakashū of roughly 905 CE, with evidence of a partially contracted form ikanga in The Tale of the Heike of roughly 1330.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) いか​が (Nakadaka – )
• IPA^(key):

Adverb

如何(いかが) • (ikaga)  (formal, polite)

1. in what manner, how
2. what about... (used to make a suggestion)

   お茶(ちゃ)はいかがでしょうか。

   Ocha wa ikaga deshō ka.

   How about some tea?

Usage notes

The term ikaga is generally considered more formal and polite than the synonym どう (dō).

More commonly spelled in hiragana as いかが. The kanji spelling is rare.

Derived terms

• 如何(いかが)わしい (ikagawashii): dubious, doubtful
• 如何(いかが)しい (ikagashii): (archaic, possibly obsolete) dubious, doubtful

Etymology 3

/ika ni/ → /ikan/

Originally a phrase consisting of 如何 (ika, “what kind”) +‎ に (ni, adverbial particle), the normal adverbial form of adjective ika above.

The uncontracted form ika ni appears as an adverb in the Man'yōshū completed in 759 CE. The contracted form ikan is first cited to the early 1100s.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) いか​ん (Nakadaka – )
• IPA^(key):

Noun

如何(いかん) • (ikan) 

1. the whatevers, the whys and wherefores; however

   理(り)由(ゆう)の如何(いかん)を問(と)わず

   riyū no ikan o towazu

   without getting into the whys and wherefores of the reasons

Adverb

如何(いかん) • (ikan) 

1. howsoever, however

Usage notes

Generally used at the end of a sentence to express doubt.

Derived terms

Etymology 4

See also

References