なぜ

なぜ
noun
why
1. why, how come
Used to ask for the reason or cause of something.
なぜ来(こ)なかったの。
Why didn't you come?
なぜそう思(おも)うのですか。
Why do you think so?
なぜ遅(おく)れたのか、理由(りゆう)を教(おし)えてください。
Please tell me the reason why you were late.
なぜそんなことを言(い)ったのか、今(いま)でも自分(じぶん)では分(わ)からない。
I still don't understand why I said such a thing.
なぜ日本(にほん)に来(き)たのかと聞(き)かれて、日本(にほん)の文化(ぶんか)に興味(きょうみ)があるからだと答(こた)えた。
When asked why I came to Japan, I answered that it was because I was interested in Japanese culture.

なぜ asks for the reason or cause behind something.

FORMALITY:
More formal than どうして. Appropriate for writing, news, and formal speech.

FORMS:

  • Kanji: 何故(なぜ) (literary/formal)
  • なぜか: for some reason, somehow
  • なぜなら: because (used to introduce an explanation)

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • なぜ〜のか: why (embedded question)
  • なぜ〜かというと: the reason why... is
  • なぜ〜のですか: why? (polite)

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • どうして: more casual, also means "how"
  • なんで: colloquial, casual

Related Words

Contrast: どうして (why (casual))
Contrast: 何(なん)で (why (very casual))
basic
Added 2026.1.8 21:25 · Revised 2026.4.1 11:22
01000/01484_naze