どう

どう is a versatile question word asking "how" about manner, method, condition, or opinion.

Common patterns

• どうですか: How is it? / What do you think?
• どう思(おも)いますか: What do you think?
• どうしますか: What will you do?
• どう読(よ)みますか: How do you read (this)?
• 〜のはどうですか: How about ~? (making a suggestion)

Compounds

• どうして: why (also: how)
• どうも: somehow; very much (thanks)
• どうぞ: please, go ahead
• どうしても: no matter what, by all means
• どうやって: how (method)

Related words

どう corresponds to こう (this way), そう (that way), ああ (that way, far) in the ko-so-a-do system.