Common Meanings
1
shèn甚
Very; extremely; greatly.
这道菜甚是美味。
This dish is extremely delicious.
To exceed; to become more and more, often indicating an increasing trend or degree.
他对武术的兴趣日甚一日。
His interest in martial arts grows day by day.
Dialectal usage for 'what' or 'when'.
你甚时到？
When will you arrive?
Used to indicate a further degree or an unexpected extreme, similar to "even" or "even if". Often appears in phrases like "甚或" (shèn huò, even or perhaps).
他甚或连看一眼的兴趣都没有。
He didn't even have the interest to take a look.
2
shén甚
Equivalent to '什' (shén), functioning as an interrogative pronoun meaning 'what' or 'some', often seen in compounds like '甚么' (shénme) meaning 'what'.
你甚么时候回来？
When will you come back?