问 meaning and stroke order
To ask; to inquire
How to write 问, stroke by stroke
6 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
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 问
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to ask; to inquire
How 问 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Mouth.
口 gives the meaning and 门 hints at the sound.
Radical: 门 (gate), shared by 47 characters on this site.
How to remember 问
A mouth 口 (kǒu) appears at the door 门 (mén), asking a question. The 口 gives the meaning of speaking, and 门 hints at the sound, since mén and wèn rhyme.
问 (wèn) means to ask someone something, and the person you ask goes right after it. It also appears in very common words like 请问 (qǐngwèn) and 问题 (wèntí). Example: 我问老师一个问题。 (Wǒ wèn lǎoshī yí ge wèntí.) I ask the teacher a question.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 问 (wèn, to ask) with 间 (jiān, room or between), which has 日 inside the door instead of 口. Another trap is using 问 for making a request. To ask someone to do something, use 请 (qǐng) or 要求 (yāoqiú) instead.
Common words with 问
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 请问 | qǐngwèn | Excuse me, may I ask...? | HSK 1 |
| 问题 | wèntí | question; problem | HSK 2 |
| 问路 | wènlù | to ask for directions; to ask the way (to some place) | HSK 2 |
| 访问 | fǎngwèn | to visit; to call on (a person or place); (computing) to visit (a website); to access (a n | HSK 3 |
| 提问 | tíwèn | to question; to quiz; to grill | HSK 3 |
| 问候 | wènhòu | to give one's respects; to send a greeting | HSK 4 |
| 疑问 | yíwèn | question; interrogation | HSK 4 |
| 学问 | xuéwen | learning; knowledge; scholarship; a body of specialized knowledge (CL:門|门[men2]); (fig.) a | HSK 4 |
| 顾问 | gùwèn | adviser; consultant | HSK 5 |
| 询问 | xúnwèn | to inquire; to ask about | HSK 5 |
| 慰问 | wèiwèn | to express sympathy, greetings, consolation etc | HSK 5 |
| 反问 | fǎnwèn | to ask (a question) in reply; to answer a question with a question | HSK 6 |
| 质问 | zhìwèn | to question; to ask questions | HSK 7-9 |
| 追问 | zhuīwèn | to question closely; to investigate in detail | HSK 7-9 |
问 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 问
How many strokes are in 问?
问 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 问 mean?
问 (wèn) means to ask; to inquire. A common word with it is 请问 (qǐngwèn), meaning "Excuse me, may I ask...?".
How do you pronounce 问?
问 is pronounced wèn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 问?
The radical of 问 is 门, which carries the idea of "gate". Dictionaries list 问 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 问?
The traditional form of 问 is 問. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 问 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 问 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 问 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 问 and 请问?
问 is the plain verb meaning to ask. 请问 (qǐngwèn) is a polite opener like "Excuse me, may I ask..." that you say before a question to a stranger, such as 请问，厕所在哪儿？ (Qǐngwèn, cèsuǒ zài nǎr?) Excuse me, where is the restroom?
Why is 问 in 学问 pronounced with a neutral tone?
In 学问 (xuéwen), meaning learning or knowledge, 问 is usually read in the neutral tone in standard Mandarin. In most other words, like 问题 (wèntí) and 问路 (wènlù), it keeps its fourth tone.