问

Etymology & Components

The Chinese character 问 (wèn) for "ask" is composed of two parts: 口 (kǒu) for "mouth" and 门 (mén) for "door". The original meaning of 问 was "to ask at the door", which referred to the ancient practice of asking for directions or information from people at their doorsteps. Over time, the meaning of 问 expanded to include "to ask a question", "to inquire", and "to investigate".The character 问 is also used in the sense of "to examine" or "to test", as in the phrase 考试 (kǎoshì) for "exam". This usage is derived from the idea of asking questions to assess someone's knowledge or skills.In addition to its literal meaning, 问 can also be used in a more figurative sense to mean "to care about" or "to be concerned about". For example, the phrase 问候 (wènhòu) means "to greet someone" or "to inquire after someone's well-being".The character 问 is an important part of the Chinese language and is used in a wide variety of contexts. Its rich history and multiple meanings make it a fascinating character to study.