Chinese phrase
为什么？ wèi shén me
Meaning
Why?
When to use it
It asks for the reason behind something. It is common in everyday questions and can sound neutral, curious, or slightly challenging depending on tone and context.
Example dialogue
你昨天又迟到，为什么？ nǐ zuó tiān yòu chí dào wèi shén me
You were late again yesterday. Why?
对不起，路上堵车了。 duì bù qǐ lù shàng dǔ chē le
Sorry, there was a traffic jam on the way.