HSK Level 5

询问

xún wèn

ask about; enquire

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Example Sentences

你有什么问题要询问吗?

nǐ yǒu shénme wèntí yào xúnwèn ma?

Do you have any questions to ask?

我需要询问一下你的意见。

wǒ xūyào xúnwèn yīxià nǐ de yìjiàn.

I need to ask for your opinion.

请询问一下服务员,看看他们是否有空位。

qǐng xúnwèn yīxià fúwùyuán, kànkan tāmen shìfǒu yǒu kòngwèi.

Please ask the waiter if they have any available seats.

Synonyms

Antonyms

回答 (huí dá)

answer

告知 (gào zhī)

inform

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 询问 (xúnwèn) is a compound word consisting of two characters: 询 (xún) and 问 (wèn). Both characters have their own meanings and histories, and when combined, they form a new word with a specific meaning.The character 询 (xún) originally meant "to ask" or "to inquire." It is composed of two parts: the radical 言 (yán), which represents speech or language, and the phonetic component 旬 (xún), which is a character used to represent the sound "xún." The character 问 (wèn) also means "to ask" or "to inquire." It is composed of the radical 口 (kǒu), which represents the mouth, and the phonetic component 勿 (wù), which is a character used to represent the sound "wèn."When the two characters 询 (xún) and 问 (wèn) are combined, they form the word 询问 (xúnwèn), which means "to ask" or "to inquire." The word 询问 is often used in formal or written contexts, while the character 问 (wèn) is more commonly used in informal or spoken contexts.In summary, the Chinese word 询问 (xúnwèn) is a compound word consisting of two characters: 询 (xún) and 问 (wèn). Both characters have their own meanings and histories, and when combined, they form a new word with a specific meaning.