How do you think? or, What do you think?

[MW]

Which is correct and in which English?

How do you think about the color red?

What do you think about the color red?

 

[albeit]

Which is correct and in which English?

How do you think about the color red?

What do you think about the color red?

Both are correct, MW, but they're likely to elicit different responses.

How do you think about the color red?

With my brain.

=====================

What do you think about the color red?

It's okay, but I prefer brown.

 

[ngathuy]

Excuse me,
Could you please explain the phrase 'with my brain'? Does it mean that the talker likes the color red?
Thank you.

 

[MW]

Excuse me,
Could you please explain the phrase 'with my brain'? Does it mean that the talker likes the color red?
Thank you.

How do you think invites a treatise on how your brain works, the mechanics of thinking.

What do you think invites your opinion or conclusion about the subject.

More to come later.

 

[albeit]

How do you think invites a treatise on how your brain works, the mechanics of thinking.

What do you think invites your opinion or conclusion about the subject.

===================

That's right, MW. I think the confusion might come from how these words 'how' and 'what' are handled in one's native tongue. In English, we can of course say,

How do you feel about {something}?

and it holds the same meaning as,

What do you think about {something]?

 

[MW]

How do you think invites a treatise on how your brain works, the mechanics of thinking.

What do you think invites your opinion or conclusion about the subject.

===================

That's right, MW. I think the confusion might come from how these words 'how' and 'what' are handled in one's native tongue. In English, we can of course say,

How do you feel about {something}?

and it holds the same meaning as,

What do you think about {something]?

BINGO!
Native tongue interference!
This is a common error for those whose L1 is Mandarin, even if they have lived in an English speaking society for 20 years.
Even anchors and interviewers on CTTV 9 English International (Beijing) commonly make this error.

 

[albeit]

BINGO!
Native tongue interference!
This is a common error for those whose L1 is Mandarin, even if they have lived in an English speaking society for 20 years.
Even anchors and interviewers on CTTV 9 English International (Beijing) commonly make this error.

The Japanese have a similar problem with how and what in this context, MW. Learning a new language by translation certainly does have its drawbacks.