問 – Kanji Meaning, Reading, and Common Words

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What does 問 mean in Japanese?

問 means to ask or to question, and by extension a ‘problem’ or ‘question’ to be solved. It is one half of two words every learner needs early: 問題 (mondai, problem/question) and 質問 (shitsumon, a question you ask).

The on’yomi モン appears in almost all compounds (問題, 質問, 疑問, 訪問). The kun’yomi と-う (to ask) and と-い (a question) are more formal and literary, but worth recognising. Notice the 門 (gate) on the outside and 口 (mouth) inside — a mouth at the gate, asking.

Reading

On’yomi: モン (mon)

Kun’yomi: と-う (to-u), と-い (to-i)

Basic Information

Kanji 問
Meaning question, ask, problem
Stroke Count 11
JLPT Level N4

How to Understand This Kanji

問題 (mondai) is the everyday word for a ‘problem’ in the widest sense — an exam question, a math problem, or a real-world issue (環境問題, environmental problems). 質問 (shitsumon) is specifically a question you ask someone to get information: 質問してもいいですか (may I ask a question?). The verb 問う (tou) is formal and often written, meaning to inquire into or call into question (責任を問う, to hold someone responsible); in daily speech you would usually say 聞く instead. 問い合わせ (toiawase) is the standard business word for an inquiry to a company or office.

Common Words

  • 問題（もんだい / mondai） — problem, question, issue
  • 質問（しつもん / shitsumon） — a question (that you ask)
  • 問う（とう / tou） — to ask, to inquire (formal)
  • 問い合わせ（といあわせ / toiawase） — an inquiry
  • 疑問（ぎもん / gimon） — doubt, question
  • 訪問（ほうもん / houmon） — a visit, a call (on someone)

Example Sentences

  • 先生に質問があります。

    せんせいにしつもんがあります。 / Sensei ni shitsumon ga arimasu.

    I have a question for the teacher.

  • この問題はとても難しいです。

    このもんだいはとてもむずかしいです。 / Kono mondai wa totemo muzukashii desu.

    This problem is very difficult.

  • わからないことは、遠慮なく問い合わせてください。

    わからないことは、えんりょなくといあわせてください。 / Wakaranai koto wa, enryo naku toiawasete kudasai.

    If there’s anything you don’t understand, please feel free to inquire.

Related Kanji

  • 題

    — Topic/subject — 問題 (problem/question) = 問 + 題; 題 supplies the ‘topic’ that 問 asks about, and the two are almost always learned together

  • 答

    — Answer — 問 and 答 are the natural question-and-answer pair (問答); you ask with 問 and reply with 答

  • 聞

    — Listen/hear — a look-alike built on the same 門 (gate); 問 has 口 (mouth) inside and means ‘ask’, while 聞 has 耳 (ear) and means ‘hear’, a useful contrast to avoid mixing them up

When Learners Usually See This Kanji

Watch out for look-alike kanji built on 門 (gate): 問 (ask, with 口 mouth inside) and 聞 (listen/hear, with 耳 ear inside). The inner element tells you the meaning — a mouth asks, an ear hears. Both share the モン/ブン sound families, so use the inside radical to keep them apart.

For asking questions in conversation, 聞く (kiku) is the everyday verb (‘先生に聞く’, ask the teacher). 問う (tou) is the more formal, often written cousin and is common in set phrases like 問い合わせる (to inquire) and 問題 (a question/problem).

質問 (shitsumon) and 問題 (mondai) are easy to confuse: 質問 is a question you ask a person, while 問題 is a problem to be solved or a question on a test. 質問がある = I have a question (to ask); 問題を解く = to solve a problem.

Summary

問 means to ask or a question/problem, anchored by 問題 (mondai) and 質問 (shitsumon). Distinguish it from look-alike 聞 (listen) by the inner radical — 口 (mouth) asks, 耳 (ear) hears.