询问

• Pinyin: xún wèn
• Hanzi breakdown: 询 = 讠 (speech) + 旬 (ten days), to inquire; 问 = 门 (door) + 口 (mouth), asking at a door

Meaning

To inquire; to ask about. Making a formal or polite inquiry to obtain information.

More formal than 问, used in professional, customer service, and official contexts. Implies a respectful tone when seeking information. Common in business settings, official procedures, and when addressing strangers politely.

Examples

1. 顾客正在询问这款产品的价格。 The customer is inquiring about the price of this product.
2. 如有疑问，请向工作人员询问。 If you have questions, please ask the staff.
3. 警察向目击者询问了案件的详细情况。 The police inquired about the details of the case from the witness.

Usage Guide

Context: customer service, official, professional

Tone: polite

Do Say

• 请问一下，我想询问航班信息。(Excuse me, I'd like to inquire about flight information.)
• 详情请询问前台。(For details, please inquire at the front desk.)

Don't Say

• 我询问你吃饭了吗 (Too formal for casual conversation — use 问 for asking friends simple questions)

Origin & History

Compound of 询 (inquire) and 问 (ask), both relating to asking questions, emphasizing polite inquiry.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal