问 (wèn)

A verb meaning "to ask" or "to inquire." It is used when seeking information or posing a question. Its counterpart is 回答 (huídá), meaning "to answer." Together 问 and 回答 form the basic question-answer pair in conversation.

Meanings

[verb] To ask, to inquire, to question.

Example Sentences

我想问你一个问题。 Wǒ xiǎng wèn nǐ yīgè wèntí. I want to ask you a question.

请问，这里有厕所吗？ Qǐngwèn, zhèlǐ yǒu cèsuǒ ma? Excuse me, is there a restroom here?

老师问我们懂了没有。 Lǎoshī wèn wǒmen dǒng le méiyǒu. The teacher asked us if we understood.

你可以问他，他知道答案。 Nǐ kěyǐ wèn tā, tā zhīdào dá'àn. You can ask him, he knows the answer.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
问题	question, problem
请问	excuse me, may I ask
问一下	to ask briefly
问路	to ask for directions
回答问题	to answer a question
问清楚	to ask clearly, to clarify

Memory Hook

问 has the 口 (mouth) radical inside 门 (door) — you open your mouth like a door to let a question out. Asking is opening the door of communication.