問いかける

• Reading: といかける
• Romaji: toikakeru
• Kanji breakdown: 問 (toi/mon) — question, inquire
• Pronunciation: /to.i.ka.ke.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To question; to pose a question to; to address with a query — often directed at the conscience, society, or a specific person.

A Group 2 (ichidan) compound verb from 問い (toi — question) + かける (kakeru — to throw towards, to direct). Unlike simply asking (聞く), 問いかける implies a deliberate, often philosophical or rhetorical act of directing a question outward. It frequently appears in literary, journalistic, and artistic contexts where a work or speaker 'poses a question' to an audience or to society at large.

Examples

1. この映画は人工知能の倫理について、観客に深く問いかける作品だ。 This film is a work that poses deep questions to its audience about the ethics of artificial intelligence.
2. 彼は鏡に向かって、自分はなぜここにいるのかと静かに問いかけた。 He quietly posed a question to himself in the mirror: why am I here?
3. 教師は生徒に答えを教えるのではなく、問いかけることで思考を促した。 Rather than giving students the answers, the teacher encouraged thinking by posing questions.

Usage Guide

Context: philosophy, literature, education, journalism

Tone: thoughtful

Origin & History

Compound of 問い (question, from 問う — to ask, to inquire) + かける (to direct, to apply). The かける element adds the nuance of directing the question toward a target.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated