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成问题 (chéng wèn tí) — to be a problem; to be questionable

Definition

成问题 means 'to be a problem' or 'questionable' — used to flag a situation, plan, or behavior as suspect or problematic, not just unusual.

verb
to be a problemto be questionable

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè gēn běn bù chéng wèn tí.
    This is not a problem at all.
  • 。
    Tā de tài dù chéng le yí gè dà wèn tí.
    His attitude has become a big problem.
  • 成问题。
    Zhè ge fāng àn shì fǒu kě xíng hái chéng wèn tí.
    Whether this plan is feasible is still questionable.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

成chéngbecome
问题problem
问wènquestion题títopic
联合Coordinate

成 means become, and 问题 is a question or trouble, so the whole means something becomes questionable.

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
戊戊wù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →

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 →

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 題; 题 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
是
是shì題tí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 题, the traditional form 題 uses 是 for sound and 頁 for head, and means 'forehead'.

Open 题 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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