質問
しつもん
hepburn shitsumon
question, to ask
Part of speech · noun / suru-verb
Pattern visualization
質substance
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問question
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Show stroke order animation
15 strokes · 10.4s
11 strokes · 7.6s
Examples
- 質問があります。I have a question.
- 先生に質問しました。I asked the teacher a question.
Collocations
質問 (shitsumon, question)質問する (shitsumon suru, to ask)質問に答える (shitsumon ni kotaeru, answer a question)ご質問 (go-shitsumon, polite question)質疑応答 (shitsugi outou, Q&A)
Mnemonic
質問 shitsumon = 質 (substance) + 問 (ask). Sino-Japanese reading "question." In Japanese school and workplace culture, shitsumon is a subtle social signal — active questions show learning drive, but too many disrupt flow. Japanese classrooms ask fewer questions than Korean or American ones; group harmony and face-saving suppress them. The shitsugi outou (Q&A session) at the end of lectures and meetings is the standard outlet.
Quick check
Meaning and usage split between 質問 and 疑問?