借问 (jiè wèn) — (polite formula, literary) may I ask?; excuse me, could you tell me?

Definition

Literary / classical-Chinese polite opener meaning 'may I ask?' — used in writing, poetry, or jocular mock-formal speech, not in everyday conversation.

idiom
(polite formula, literary) may I ask?excuse mecould you tell me?

Examples

  • 借问，？
    jiè wèn, Cǐ chù lí jīng chéng hái yǒu duō yuǎn?
    May I ask how far it is from here to the capital?
  • 借问，？
    jiè wèn, Gé xià zūn xìng dà míng?
    May I ask your honorable name, sir?
  • 借问，？
    jiè wèn, Cǐ lù tōng wǎng hé chù?
    Excuse me, where does this road lead to?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

借jièby means of
问wènask

借问 joins 借, 'by means of', with 问, 'ask', forming a polite request for information.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
昔
昔xī借jiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

借 combines 人, a person, with 昔, which shows the sound.

Open 借 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 問; 问 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
門
門mén問wèn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 問 combines 口 (mouth) with 門, which gives the sound; the simplified 问 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 问 →

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