問 meaning and stroke order
To ask about, to inquire after
How to write 問, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 3
- 4
- 5
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- 11
Meaning of 問
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to ask; to inquire
How 問 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Mouth.
口 gives the meaning and 門 hints at the sound.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 問
Picture a mouth 口 (kǒu) at a door 門 (mén), calling in to ask a question. The mouth gives the meaning, and 門 (mén) hints at the sound wèn.
問 (wèn) means to ask, and it appears in many everyday words like 問題 (wèntí, question) and 請問 (qǐngwèn, excuse me, may I ask). It takes the person you ask as its object. Example: 我問老師一個問題。(Wǒ wèn lǎoshī yí ge wèntí.) I ask the teacher a question.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 問 (wèn, to ask) with 間 (jiān, between, room) and 聞 (wén, to hear or smell), which share the same 門 frame. Check what is inside: 口 for asking, 日 for 間, and 耳 for 聞.
Common words with 問
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 請問 | qǐngwèn | Excuse me, may I ask...? | HSK 1 |
| 問題 | wèntí | question; problem | HSK 2 |
| 問路 | wènlù | to ask for directions; to ask the way (to some place) | HSK 2 |
| 訪問 | fǎngwèn | to visit; to call on (a person or place); (computing) to visit (a website); to access (a n | HSK 3 |
| 提問 | tíwèn | to question; to quiz; to grill | HSK 3 |
| 問候 | wènhòu | to give one's respects; to send a greeting | HSK 4 |
| 疑問 | yíwèn | question; interrogation | HSK 4 |
| 學問 | xuéwen | learning; knowledge; scholarship; a body of specialized knowledge (CL:門|门[men2]); (fig.) a | HSK 4 |
| 顧問 | gùwèn | adviser; consultant | HSK 5 |
| 詢問 | xúnwèn | to inquire; to ask about | HSK 5 |
| 慰問 | wèiwèn | to express sympathy, greetings, consolation etc | HSK 5 |
| 反問 | fǎnwèn | to ask (a question) in reply; to answer a question with a question | HSK 6 |
| 質問 | zhìwèn | to question; to ask questions | HSK 7-9 |
| 追問 | zhuīwèn | to question closely; to investigate in detail | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 問
How many strokes are in 問?
問 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 問 mean?
問 (wèn) means to ask about, to inquire after. A common word with it is 请问 (qǐngwèn), meaning "Excuse me, may I ask...?".
How do you pronounce 問?
問 is pronounced wèn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 問?
The radical of 問 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 問 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 問?
問 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 问, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 問 (wèn) and 請 (qǐng)?
問 means to ask for information, as in asking a question. 請 means to ask someone to do something, or to invite them. So you say 問路 (wènlù) to ask the way, but 請他來 (qǐng tā lái) to ask him to come.
Does 問 (wèn) change pronunciation in 學問?
In 學問 (xuéwen), meaning learning or knowledge, 問 is usually read in the neutral tone. In most other words, like 問題 (wèntí) and 提問 (tíwèn), it keeps its fourth tone.