问 (wèn) means "to ask" with 6 strokes, radical 门 (gate), HSK 1 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Primary: to ask
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
问 is a phono-semantic compound with 门 providing the sound and 口 (mouth) giving the meaning. Oracle bone forms already show a mouth placed inside or beside a gate, suggesting someone speaking at a doorway. The interpretation is that one asks questions at the gate of a household before entering.
Form evolution
Oracle bone and bronze forms place 口 inside the gate of 門. Seal script regularises this into 問 with 口 centered between the two door-panels, and clerical and regular script preserve that layout. The simplified 问 retains 口 inside the reduced 门 frame, so the internal logic is unchanged.
How the meaning evolved
The earliest sense was to ask, enquire, or make a formal request at a gate. It broadened to cover asking in general, questioning in the judicial sense (to interrogate), and caring about or concerning oneself with something, as in 过问 and 不问. In modern Mandarin the core meaning is simply to ask, with 问题 (question, problem) as the most common derived noun.
Cultural note
The set phrase 不闻不问 (neither hear nor ask) uses two 门-radical characters together to mean to pay no attention at all. Learners should distinguish 问 (to ask) from 请问 (the polite lead-in literally meaning may I ask), which is the standard way to approach a stranger for information.
Mnemonic
A mouth at the door — to ask
Decomposition
Breaking a character into its components makes it far easier to recall. Each component above links to its own detail page.
Basic info
| Pinyin | wèn |
| Meanings | to ask |
| Stroke count | 6 strokes |
| Radical | 门 (#169: gate) |
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 1 |
| Frequency | #226 most common |
Example sentences
Words containing 问
Related characters
Similar meaning (action)
On the new HSK 1 exam
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Frequently Asked Questions
Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.