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ask

HSK 10 N3
wèn
モン
と.う、と.い、とん
Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 門 represents the sound.
Components
mouth+ gate =
ask
Meaning component
kǒu mouth
Phonetic component
gate
View phonetic series →
Notes
Historical Evolution
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze Mid Warring States (~300 BC)
Bronze
Mid Warring States (~300 BC)
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Bronze
Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Regular
Modern
Chinese
/ [wèn]
to ask
Japanese
もん 同音
suffixcounter counter for questions
問い とい 同音
noun question; query
Example Sentences
Japanese Names
とい
Toi surname