How to write 咋

咋 [zǎ] 1. (Adverb) a. Colloquial: how; how come (例如: 情况咋样? - How is the situation?) b. Why; for what reason, cause, or purpose (例如: 你咋不去? - Why aren’t you going?) 2. Often used at the end of a sentence to indicate a question, command, surprise, etc. (例如: 你还会说点个什么咋? - What more can you say?; 你快走些咋? - Why don’t you hurry up and leave?) 3. (Verb) a. To bite (例如: 犬彘咋其骨，乌鸢啄其皮。 - Dogs and pigs bite their bones, and crows peck at their skins.) b. To cry out loudly (例如: 咋咋 - a sound word for calling or expressing teeth gritting; 咋唶 - a call or shout sound.) 4. (Adverb) a. Equivalent to “乍”, meaning suddenly; abruptly (例如: 桓子咋谓 林楚…。- Huanzi suddenly said to Lin Chu.) b. (Interjection) A reply sound indicating agreement; yes (例如: 咋，我就来 - Yes, I’ll come.) 5. (Verb) a. To irritate (例如: 急得他三尸神咋，七窍生烟。 - He was so anxious that his three corpses were furious, and smoke was coming out of his seven orifices.) b. To blast (例如: 半山里，崖崩岭咋。 - In the middle of the mountain, the cliffs collapsed with a blast.) 6. To hold or bite onto (例如: 咋舌 - To hold one's tongue or be unable to speak due to extreme regret or fear.) 7. (Interjection) a. Equivalent to “乍”, meaning suddenly; abruptly. b. An acknowledgment sound [yes]. 8. Similar definitions seen with variants: zǎ, zhā, zhà.