どうして

also: どーして

ど

う

し

て

Common word›JLPTN5›Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

Meanings

adverb

how; in what way; by what means

usually written using kana alone

Asks about the method, means, or manner of doing something. For this meaning, どうやって is often a clearer everyday equivalent.

Usage patterns

どうしていいか〈動どう詞し〉not to know what to do
急きゅうに泣なかれて、どうしていいかわからなかった。
When she suddenly started crying, I didn't know what to do.
どうして〈事こと〉のですかasking politely for the reason behind something
どうして遅おくれたのですか。
Why were you late?
どうして〈事こと〉ものかrhetorically denying that something could happen
こんな簡かん単たんな問もん題だいを、どうして間ま違ちがえようものか。
How could I possibly get such an easy question wrong?
どうして、どうしてused to flatly deny an assumption someone just made
「もう疲つかれたでしょう？」「どうして、どうして、まだ元げん気きですよ。」
"You must be tired by now, right?" "Not at all, I'm still full of energy."

Expressions

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

Kanji

如likeness, like, such as
何what

Related words

どうやってN5sense 1
どうやって asks specifically about the method or means of doing something, while どうして can mean either 'how' or 'why' depending on context.
なぜN5sense 2
なぜ is a slightly more formal or explanatory way to ask 'why', while どうして is common in everyday speech and can sound more personal or emotional.
何なんでN3sense 2
なんで is a very casual, colloquial way to ask 'why', while どうして is conversational but a bit less blunt than なんで.
何なに故ゆえN1
どうして is a casual, often emotionally charged way to ask 'why', while 何故 sounds detached and formal.

Don't confuse with

どうやってN5
どうして asks for a reason ('why'), while どうやって asks for a method or means ('how'), despite sounding similar.
こうしてN2
こうして states a result or manner ('thus'), whereas どうして asks 'how' or 'why', so despite the matching -うして pattern they serve completely different grammatical functions.

Etymology

Historically analyzable as どう ('how') plus して, the te-form of する ('do'), giving a sense like 'doing how' or 'in what way.' The kanji spelling 如何して uses 如何, conventionally associated with 'how/what,' but modern Japanese normally writes the word in kana.