请教 (qǐng jiào) — to ask for advice or guidance; to consult | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

请教 means to ask someone for guidance on a problem or topic — a one-way request for advice, not mutual discussion (which is 商量). Polite, everyday register; 咨询 is more for professional services.

verb

to ask for advice or guidanceto consult

Examples

请教。
Wǒ yǒu yí dào shù xué tí xiǎng qǐng jiào nǐ.
I have a math problem I'd like to ask you about.
请教。
Tā jīng cháng qǐng jiào kè hù duì chǎn pǐn de yì jiàn.
He often consults clients about their opinions on the product.
请教。
Zhè jiàn shì nǐ zuì hǎo qǐng jiào yí xià yǒu jīng yàn de rén.
You'd better consult someone experienced about this matter.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

教jiàoteaching

请 means to ask and 教 means teaching, so the word means to ask for guidance.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 請; 请 is its simplified writing.

言青請

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

青

青qīng請qǐng

Same sound today

In the traditional form 請, 言 shows it relates to speaking, and 青 gives the sound; the simplified 请 is a later shorter form.

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

子子zǐchild

攵Written in full as攴pūteaching cane; stick that represents authority

Sound part声符shēngfú

爻

爻yáo教jiào

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

教 uses 爻 for its sound and puts 子 (child) with 攵 (攴), a teaching cane, to show teaching a child.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Communication & Speech

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