Usage patterns 〈 物もの 〉 はどうですか how about ~? / what do you think of ~?
どうやって 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 how (in what way) to do something
How do I get to the station?
どうしたら 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 what should one do in order to ~
What should I do to get better at Japanese?
〈 人ひと 〉 はどうしましたか what happened to someone; what's wrong with someone
What happened to Mr. Tanaka?
〈 事こと 〉 をどう 思おも う to ask what someone thinks about something
What do you think about this plan?
Expressions· 9 どうしても by all means; at any cost; no matter what · whether one wants to or not; willy-nilly; willingly or unwillingly · by no means; not possibly; on no account · in the end; after all; eventually どうのこうの this and that; one thing or another どこをどう how; in what way; I wonder how どうあっても no matter what; under any circumstances; at all costs Show 4 more Show fewer どうかこうか somehow or other; in some way どうにかなる work out somehow; be all right; take care of itself · go crazy; lose it どうにもこうにも (not) in any way; in no way; at all どうにもならない hopeless; beyond help; nothing can be done Don't confuse with どう asks 'how' about something unknown, while こう means 'in this way' referring to something near the speaker or just mentioned.
どう asks 'how' about something unknown, while そう means 'in that way' referring to something near the listener or previously mentioned.
どう asks 'how' about something unknown, while ああ means 'in that way' referring to something distant from both speaker and listener.
Word family how; in what way; by what means · why; for what reason; what for · cannot possibly · no way; not at all
(not) at all; in no way; no matter what · terribly; awfully; hopelessly
please; kindly; if you would · somehow or other; one way or another · whether or not; if · strange; wrong; off
what kind of; what; why
whatever way; any way; either way
whatever way; any way; either way
Written forms どう Usage 100%
gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
Standard kana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
如何どう Usage <1%
rarely-used kanji form gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
Rarely used kanji form; mainly encountered in formal or literary contexts.
何ど う Usage <1%
search-only kanji form gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
Search-only kanji form; not used in modern writing.
ドウ Usage <1%
Etymology The exact derivation is uncertain; it is a native Japanese interrogative adverb related to the ko-so-a-do demonstrative system.
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