# 問 question, problem

門 (gate) Same-ON + 口 (mouth/small box radical)
★★★★★
11 strokes

## Onyomi

MON |

## Mnemonic

| The MONK, standing at the temple gate, asks you a question : (a Zen koan) with his mouth. If you answer wrong, you can't get in.

## Kunyomi

と*う | to ask (BOOBOO: only used in a formal situation, where the wrong answer spells trouble: - the police questioned the suspect, the situation calls his authority into question) F ★★☆☆☆

## Jukugo

質問(しつもん) する | question ★★★★★ 質 (quality) + 問 (question, problem) = 質問 (question) a question - usually used in a structured setting: interview, trial, test. BOOBOO: in casual conversation, people will say 尋ねる　or 聞く instead of 質問.
問題(もんだい) | problem ★★★★★ 問 (question, problem) + 題 (topic) = 問題 (problem) problem - as in "environmental pollution", also as in "homework problem"
疑問(ぎもん) | a doubt ★★★☆☆ 疑 (doubt) + 問 (question, problem) = 疑問 (a doubt　) a doubt　（疑問がある＝ I have doubts about it.)

## Lookalikes

| Meaning | Hint | Radical
--- | --- | --- | ---
門 | gate | OPEN |
間 | a period of time | DAY | 日
問 | question, problem | MOUTH | 口

Gate has NOTHING IN THE CENTER, IT'S OPEN - so you can walk through it.

There is an interval of one DAY between things, and you ask a question with your MOUTH.

## Synonyms

ask question に聞く に尋ねる に問う に質問する に伺う
visit へ伺う に参る を訪ねる を訪問