Meaning of 咨询
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- variant of 諮詢|咨询[zi1 xun2]
- to inquire; to consult; to seek advice from
How to use 咨询
咨询 is a fairly formal verb for seeking professional advice or information, and it also works as a noun, as in 咨询公司 (consulting company) or 法律咨询 (legal consultation). It often takes the person or topic directly as its object. Example: 我想咨询一下签证的问题。(Wǒ xiǎng zīxún yíxià qiānzhèng de wèntí.) I'd like to ask about a visa issue.
Both characters carry the mouth radical 口 or speech radical 讠, so think of 咨询 as two kinds of talking: 咨 (zī) has 口 under 次, and 询 (xún) has 讠 beside 旬. You open your mouth and use words to ask an expert for advice.
Common mistake: Learners often write 询 with 口 instead of 讠, or confuse 旬 inside it with 句 (jù). Also, 咨询 sounds stiff for casual questions to friends, where 问 (wèn) is more natural.
咨询 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
咨 zī · to inquire · 9 strokes
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询 xún · to ask about · 8 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 咨询.
Questions about 咨询
What does 咨询 mean?
咨询 (zīxún) means "variant of 諮詢|咨询[zi1 xun2]" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 咨询?
咨询 is made of 2 characters: 咨 (9 strokes), 询 (8 strokes). That is 17 strokes in total.
Is 咨询 an HSK word?
Yes. 咨询 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 咨询 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 咨询 is written 咨詢.
What is the difference between 咨询 and 询问?
咨询 means seeking advice or expert information, often from a professional or service desk. 询问 simply means asking about something, such as someone's name or situation, without the sense of getting expert guidance.
How do you say consultant or counseling with 咨询?
A consultant is 咨询师 (zīxúnshī) or 顾问 (gùwèn). Psychological counseling is 心理咨询 (xīnlǐ zīxún), and a help or information desk is often labeled 咨询台 (zīxúntái).