Dictionary › 问

问

wèn

Old HSK 2 HSK 3.0 character level 1 Character Traditional 問

问 (wèn) means "to ask; to inquire". It is an HSK 3.0 level 1 word, and was HSK 2 in the old six-level list.

What 问 means

1. to ask; to inquire

How 问 is used in grammar

问 is a grammar word. Each link goes to its own section: what it does in that pattern, the structure, three example sentences with pinyin, and the mistake to avoid.

• Double Object Sentences: 给/送 + person + thing (HSK 2)

Example sentences

• 提问！
  Ask!
• 请问！
  Excuse me!
• 好问题。
  Good question!
• 问得好。
  Good question!
• 没问题。
  No problem.
• 老问题。
  The same old problem.

Words starting with 问

• 问题wèn tíquestion; problem; issue
• 问候wèn hòuto give one's respects; to send a greeting; (fig.) (coll.) to make offensive reference to…
• 问世wèn shìto be published; to come out
• 问道wèn dàoto ask the way; to ask
• 问答wèn dáquestion and answer
• 问话wèn huàto ask sb a question; question
• 问好wèn hǎoto say hello to; to send one's regards to
• 问路wèn lùto ask for directions; to ask the way (to some place)
• 问卷wèn juànquestionnaire
• 问号wèn hàoquestion mark (punct.); unknown factor; unsolved problem
• 问讯wèn xùninterrogation; greeting
• 问津wèn jīnto make inquiries (mostly used in the negative)
• 问心无愧wèn xīn wú kuìlit. look into one's heart, no shame (idiom); with a clear conscience
• 问事wèn shìto ask for information; to inquire
• 问安wèn ānto pay one's respects; to give regards to
• 问名wèn míngto enquire, according to custom, after the name and horoscope of intended bride…
• 问市wèn shìto hit the market
• 问责wèn zéto hold accountable; to blame; to censure; to apportion blame
• 问住wèn zhùto stump sb with a question
• 问责性wèn zé xìngaccountability
• 问罪wèn zuìto denounce; to condemn; to call to account
• 问罪之师wèn zuì zhī shīpunitive force; a person setting out to deliver severe reproach
• 问倒wèn dǎoto stump; to baffle
• 问客杀鸡wèn kè shā jīlit. asking guests whether or not to butcher a chicken for them (idiom)…

Words containing 问

• 访问fǎng wènto visit; to call on (a person or place); (computing) to visit (a website)…
• 提问tí wènto question; to quiz; to grill
• 询问xún wènto inquire; to ask about
• 疑问yí wènquestion; interrogation; doubt
• 学问xué wènlearning; knowledge; scholarship; a body of specialized knowledge…
• 顾问gù wènadviser; consultant
• 反问fǎn wènto ask (a question) in reply; to answer a question with a question; rhetorical question
• 慰问wèi wènto express sympathy, greetings, consolation etc
• 过问guò wènto show an interest in; to get involved with
• 请问qǐng wènExcuse me, may I ask...?
• 没问题méi wèn tíno problem
• 追问zhuī wènto question closely; to investigate in detail; to examine minutely
• 不问bù wènto pay no attention to; to disregard; to ignore
• 毫无疑问háo wú yí wèncertainty; without a doubt
• 质问zhì wènto question; to ask questions; to inquire
• 发问fā wènto question; to ask; to raise a question
• 审问shěn wènto interrogate; to examine; to question
• 盘问pán wènto interrogate; to cross-examine; to inquire
• 试问shì wènI would like to ask (usually used rhetorically); one might well ask
• 自问zì wènto ask oneself; to search one's soul; to reach a conclusion after weighing a matter
• 有学问yǒu xué wèn(of a person) learned; erudite; scholarly; (of a topic, practice or domain) to involve a…
• 访问量fǎng wèn liàng(web counter) hits
• 做学问zuò xué wènto pursue scholarly study; to engage in academic research
• 责问zé wènto demand an explanation

Characters built on 口

These share the phonetic component 口 (kǒu), which is why their readings rhyme. Learning them as a family is far cheaper than learning them one at a time.

• 嗯ēn(a groaning sound)
• 喷pēnto spout; to spurt; to spray; to puff; (slang) to criticize scathingly (esp. online)
• 吻wěnkiss; to kiss; mouth
• 吩fēnused in 吩咐; used in transliteration of chemical compounds
• 呻shēn(literary) to recite; to chant; to intone; (bound form) groan
• 啃kěnto gnaw; to nibble; to bite
• 嗔chēnto be angry at; to be displeased and annoyed
• 哂shěn(literary) to smile; to sneer

Characters that look like 问

Easy to confuse on sight. Compare them side by side once and the pair stops costing you.

• 间jiānbetween; among; within a definite time or space
• 闻wénto hear; news; well-known
• 词cíword; statement; speech; lyrics; a form of lyric poetry, flourishing in the Song dynasty…
• 纲gānghead rope of a fishing net; guiding principle; key link
• 闪shǎnto dodge; to duck out of the way; to beat it
• 闯chuǎngto rush; to charge; to dash

Sounds the same

Read wèn, tone for tone, but written differently.

• 汶Wen River in northwest Sichuan (same as 汶川); classical name of river in Shandong, used to…
• 璺a crack (in porcelain, glassware etc)
• 妏(used in female names)
• 抆to wipe
• 絻(old) mourning apparel
• 揾(literary) to wipe away (tears); to press with one's fingers; to soak
• 免old variant of 絻

Where 问 is taught

In the GraphChinese course it is part of Communication and Information (HSK 2), HSK 2 Characters · Set 6 (HSK 2), each one a topic in the dependency graph of HSK 1–6 that opens only once its prerequisites are solid.

Go deeper

• Every HSK 2 word, with the rest of its level.
• How characters are built from components.
• How to learn Chinese characters.
• The four tones and the neutral tone, to read wèn correctly.
• Look up another word in the free dictionary.