How to Say “How is school?” in Chinese
Small talk and travel · HSK 2
"How is school?" in Chinese is 学校怎么样？ (Xuéxiào zěnmeyàng?). 怎么样 (zěnmeyàng) is the go-to question word for asking 'how is..
Primary translation
学校怎么样？
Xuéxiào zěnmeyàng?
Traditional: 學校怎麼樣？
Variants by register
Formal
您在学校还适应吗？
Nín zài xuéxiào hái shìyìng ma?
Casual
学校咋样？
Xuéxiào zǎyàng?
When to use it
怎么样 (zěnmeyàng) is the go-to question word for asking 'how is...' about almost anything; school, work, food, a movie. The casual 咋样 (zǎyàng) is heavily northern, especially Beijing and the northeast; southerners rarely use it. One thing learners miss: Chinese parents and relatives almost always ask 学习怎么样 (how are your studies) rather than 学校怎么样; school as a place is less interesting to them than your grades.
Example sentences
学校怎么样？习惯了吗？
Xuéxiào zěnmeyàng? Xíguàn le ma?
How's school? Have you gotten used to it?
新学校怎么样？老师好吗？
Xīn xuéxiào zěnmeyàng? Lǎoshī hǎo ma?
How's the new school? Are the teachers nice?
最近学习怎么样？忙不忙？
Zuìjìn xuéxí zěnmeyàng? Máng bu máng?
How are your studies lately? Are you busy?