Japanese Conversation · Level 15
90 words
Japanese word
どう
Pronunciation
Romajidō
Meaning
- adverbhow
Example
これはどうですか？ko re wa dō de su ka
How is this?
More examples
元気はどうですか。gen ki wa dō de su ka
How are you?
駅までどう行けばいいですか。eki ma de dō i ke ba i i de su ka
How should I get to the station?
Core concept
The word points to the way something is, happens, or could be done, and can open a request for an opinion.
Common phrases
どうやってdō ya tte
how
Similar words
いかがikaga: A polite form used to ask about a condition, quality, or choice.
どのようにdonoyōni: Asks in what way an action is done or an event takes place.
どうやってdōyatte: Asks by what method an action can be done.
Definition in Japanese
物事がどのようであるか、またはどのようにするかを尋ねたり、意見を求めたりするときに用いる語。mono goto ga do no yō de a ru ka ma ta wa do no yō ni su ru ka o tazu ne ta ri i ken o moto me ta ri su ru to ki ni mochi i ru go
Word origin
どう (dō, "how") belongs to the native Japanese vocabulary, but its deeper history is uncertain; the written form 如何 (dō, "how") represents the meaning without proving a source from its characters.
Usage tips
- In conversation, どうですか (dō desu ka) can ask about an object's quality or invite a choice, which gives the short expression a wider use than questions about method alone.
Other meanings
- how about ___adverb