Hanzi Sheets
How to write 请问 — "Excuse Me (May I Ask)" in Chinese
请问 (qǐng wèn) is how you say "excuse me (may i ask)" in Chinese. The polite opener before any question to a stranger. Below is each character with its pinyin and meaning, plus a free tracing worksheet you can print in seconds.
请问 character by character
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning in this phrase |
|---|---|---|
| 请 | qǐng | please |
| 问 | wèn | to ask |
| 请问 | qǐng wèn | excuse me (may i ask) |
Using 请问
请 means “please” and 问 means “to ask”, so 请问 is “may I please ask” — the polite wedge that opens a question to anyone you do not know. 请问，洗手间在哪儿？ (“Excuse me, where is the restroom?”) is the model sentence.
In Traditional Chinese it is 請問; both characters gain the speech radical's Traditional form (请→請, 问→問). Children should know it is an opener, not a standalone “excuse me” — to squeeze past someone, say 不好意思 instead.
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FAQ
Is 请问 the same as English “excuse me”?
Only for the “may I ask” sense — before a question. For getting past someone or apologizing for a small bump, use 不好意思 (bù hǎo yì si).
What questions can kids practice after 请问?
请问，这是什么？(What is this?), 请问，厕所在哪儿？(Where is the bathroom?), 请问，现在几点？(What time is it?) — all real, useful classroom sentences.
How is 请问 written in Traditional Chinese?
請問 — 请→請 and 问→問. Both take the Traditional speech radical 言/門 forms.