问题

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 问题 (wèn tí) for "question" or "problem" is composed of two characters: 问 (wèn) and 题 (tí). The character 问 originally meant "to ask" or "to inquire," and it is composed of the radical 口 (kǒu), which represents the mouth, and the character 门 (mén), which represents a door. This suggests that asking a question involves opening one's mouth to speak and seeking information from others. The character 题 originally meant "to raise" or "to lift," and it is composed of the radical 手 (shǒu), which represents the hand, and the character 提 (tí), which means "to carry" or "to lift." This suggests that a question or problem is something that needs to be raised or addressed. When combined, the two characters 问 and 题 form the word 问题, which refers to a question or problem that needs to be asked or addressed.