Definition
缘何 is a formal, literary pronoun meaning 'why' or 'for what reason'. It is used in written Chinese — news headlines, essays, formal speeches — and sounds elevated compared to the everyday 为什么. You'll see it in rhetorical questions or explanatory contexts where the speaker wants a classical, weighty tone.
pr.
(formal, literary) whyfor what reason
Examples
- 缘何?yuán hé gǔshì tūrán dà diē?Why did the stock market suddenly crash?
- 缘何?Tā yuán hé xuǎnzé líkāi zhège chéngshì?Why did he choose to leave this city?
- 缘何?yuán hé huì chūxiàn zhèyàng de wèntí?Why would such a problem arise?
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