这么 and 这样 both descend from 这 ("this"), both translate loosely as "so" or "like this," and both point at something the speaker has in mind — which is exactly why learners treat them as interchangeable and get corrected constantly. They are not interchangeable. 这么/那么 measure a degree — "this much, so, to this extent" — and they lean forward onto an adjective or verb (这么贵, 那么快). 这样/那样 point at a manner or a whole situation — "in this way, like this, such" — and they can stand on their own, modify a noun, or reach back and stand in for an entire state of affairs (这样做, 别这样, 这样的人). One asks how much; the other asks in what way. Sort those two questions and the pair sorts itself.
The degree-vs-manner test
Ask what your "so / like this" is doing. Is it turning up the dial on an adjective (how much?), or is it pointing at a way of doing something (how?)?
| 这么/那么 (zhème/nàme) | 这样/那样 (zhèyàng/nàyàng) | |
|---|---|---|
| Points at | a degree — how much | a manner / situation — how, in what way |
| Sits before | an adjective or verb | a verb, a noun (+的), or stands alone |
| Can stand alone? | No — always leads a predicate | Yes — 别这样, 就这样吧 |
| Example | 这么大 (this big) | 这样做 (do it this way) |
这么/那么: measuring a degree
这么 (near) and 那么 (far) sit before an adjective or verb and crank up the degree: "this / so / that [adjective]." They're the words of surprise and emphasis — why so expensive, so late, so many?
今天怎么这么冷？昨天还挺暖和的。
jīntiān zěnme zhème lěng? zuótiān hái tǐng nuǎnhuo de
Why's it so cold today? It was pretty warm yesterday. (informal) — 这么 intensifies the adjective 冷.
你怎么这么晚才来？大家都等你半天了。
nǐ zěnme zhème wǎn cái lái? dàjiā dōu děng nǐ bàntiān le
Why are you only getting here so late? Everyone's been waiting ages. (informal)
别买那么多，我们两个人吃不完。
bié mǎi nàme duō, wǒmen liǎng ge rén chī bu wán
Don't buy that much — the two of us can't finish it. (informal) — 那么 on the degree word 多.
他跑得那么快，我根本追不上。
tā pǎo de nàme kuài, wǒ gēnběn zhuī bu shàng
He runs so fast — there's no way I can catch up. (informal) — 那么 intensifies 快.
这么 can also lead a verb of saying or doing, where it shades from pure degree into "in this way": 这么说 ("put it this way / say so"), 这么做 ("do it like this"). This is the one place it brushes against 这样 — more on that below.
这样/那样: pointing at a manner or a whole situation
这样 (near) and 那样 (far) are pro-forms for a way of doing something or an entire state of affairs. They do four things 这么 cannot.
Modify a verb as "in this way":
你不应该这样对他，他也是好心。
nǐ bù yīnggāi zhèyàng duì tā, tā yě shì hǎoxīn
You shouldn't treat him like this — he meant well. (informal) — 这样 = in this manner.
Stand alone as a whole predicate:
别这样，大家都看着呢。
bié zhèyàng, dàjiā dōu kànzhe ne
Don't be like this — everyone's watching. (informal) — 这样 stands on its own; 这么 can't do this.
就这样吧，我先挂了，回头聊。
jiù zhèyàng ba, wǒ xiān guà le, huítóu liáo
Let's leave it at that — I'll hang up now, talk later. (informal) — 就这样 = 'like this / that's settled'.
Modify a noun with 的, meaning "such / this kind of":
我喜欢这样的天气，不冷不热。
wǒ xǐhuan zhèyàng de tiānqì, bù lěng bú rè
I like this kind of weather — neither cold nor hot. (informal) — 这样的 + noun.
Reach back and stand in for a whole situation:
如果是这样，那我就放心了。
rúguǒ shì zhèyàng, nà wǒ jiù fàngxīn le
If that's the case, then I'm relieved. (informal) — 这样 replaces an entire prior statement.
Where they brush past each other: 这么说 vs 这样说
With a verb like 说, both are possible and the difference is a hair's breadth: 这么说 foregrounds the way it's phrased ("put like that"), while 这样说 points a touch more concretely at the manner of speaking. In everyday talk they're near-synonyms here — the real dividing line is elsewhere: an adjective (这么贵, never 这样贵) or a standalone/noun slot (别这样, never 别这么).
你这么说也有道理。
nǐ zhème shuō yě yǒu dàolǐ
Put that way, you've got a point too. (neutral) — with 说, 这么 and 这样 are near-interchangeable.
Common Mistakes
1. Using 这样 before an adjective for degree. Intensifying an adjective is 这么's job; 这样贵 is wrong.
❌ 这个包怎么这样贵？
Incorrect — degree before an adjective takes 这么: 这个包怎么这么贵？
✅ 这个包怎么这么贵？
zhège bāo zěnme zhème guì?
Why is this bag so expensive? — 这么 for the degree.
2. Using 这么 to modify a noun. "This kind of person" needs 这样的, not 这么.
❌ 我不喜欢这么的人。
Incorrect — 'this kind of person' is 这样的人; 这么 can't take 的 + noun.
✅ 我不喜欢这样的人。
wǒ bù xǐhuan zhèyàng de rén
I don't like this kind of person. — 这样的 + noun.
3. Using 这么 as a standalone 'like this.' 这么 must lead a predicate; it can't stand alone.
❌ 别这么，我求你了。
Incorrect — standalone 'don't be like this' is 别这样。
✅ 别这样，我求你了。
bié zhèyàng, wǒ qiú nǐ le
Don't be like this — I'm begging you. — 这样 stands alone.
4. Using 这样 for 'that many/much.' A quantity degree is 这么/那么, not 这样.
❌ 你怎么买了这样多？
Incorrect — 'so much' is a degree: 你怎么买了这么多？
✅ 你怎么买了这么多？
nǐ zěnme mǎi le zhème duō?
Why did you buy so much? — 这么多 for the degree.
Key Takeaways
- 这么/那么 measure a degree and sit before an adjective or verb: 这么贵, 那么多, 这么快. They can never stand alone.
- 这样/那样 point at a manner or whole situation: modify a verb (这样做), stand alone (别这样, 就这样吧), take 的 + noun (这样的人), or replace a prior statement (如果是这样).
- Before an adjective, only 这么 works (这么贵, not 这样贵); standing alone or with 的, only 这样 works (别这样, not 别这么).
- Ask how much? → 这么/那么; ask in what way? → 这样/那样.
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- 更 vs 最 vs 比较 — Comparative DegreesHSK 2 — Three little words spread out along a scale of 'how much'. 比较 (bǐjiào) = 'relatively / fairly' — moderate, no explicit comparison (比较累 'kind of tired'). 更 (gèng) = 'even more' — a comparative that assumes a baseline (更好 'even better'). 最 (zuì) = 'most' — the superlative, the top of the set (最好 'the best'). Pick by where you sit on the scale: somewhat, more, or most.