しつもん vs. とい vs. もんだい: Are These Meaning “Question”?
What is the difference between “質問 (shitsumon), 問い (toi) and 問題 (mondai)“? Are these really meaning “Question”? After reading this, you would be answering this question. Let me introduce what their subtle differences are and how you correctly use them such as native speakers today!
質問 (shitsumon)
Question / 问题 / 질문 / Câu hỏi
“質問 (shitsumon)” means “Question” and which has been used as the meaning of “a sentence or phrase used to find out information”. The basic way to use it is “私は___に質問をする。(I ask ___ a question.)”, “質問は___(A question is ___)”, etc. For instance, “私は先生に質問をする。(I ask my teacher a question.)”, “質問は簡単だ/難しい(A question is easy/difficult.)”, etc. The tips for using it are that “質問” is used as the meaning of “ASK WHAT YOU ARE WONDERING or SOMETHING YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND”. Everybody could use “質問” both in daily conversations as casual and in business situations as formal such as “質問してもいい?(Can I ask a question?)” and “質問してもいいですか?(Could I ask a question?)”.
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Sample
質問があります。 (I have a question.) (我有一个问题。) (질문이 있습니다.) (Tôi có một câu hỏi.) (shitsumon ga arimasu.)
質問してもいい? (Can I ask a question?) (我可以问你一个问题吗?) (질문해도 돼?) (Tôi có thể hỏi bạn một câu hỏi được không?) (shitsumon shite mo ī?)
この質問の意味がわかりません。 (I don’t understand the meaning of this question.) (我不明白这个问题的意思。) (이 질문의 의미를 모르겠습니다.) (Tôi không hiểu ý nghĩa của câu hỏi này.) (kono shitsumon no imi ga wakari masen.)
何か質問はありますか? (Does anybody have any questions?) (有什么问题吗?) (뭔가 질문이 있습니까?) (Bạn có câu hỏi nào không?) (nanika shitsumon wa arimasu ka?)
問い (toi)
Question (on the test for a writing word), Problem / 问题 / 물음 / Hỏi
“問い(toi)” means “Question (on the test for a writing word) or Problem” and which has been used as the meaning of “in an exam, a problem that tests a person’s knowledge or ability”. The basic way to use it is “問い1(Question 1)”, etc. For instance, “問い10(Question 10)”, etc. The tips for using it is that “問い” is used as the “A WRITING WORD” and “on the TEST, EXAM and QUIZ”. So, we don’t normally say “問い” in daily conversations as casual and even in business situations as formal. You would see “問い” only on the test.
Sample
以下の問いに答えなさい。 (Answer the questions below.) (回答以下问题。) (다음 물음에 답하십시오.) (Hãy trả lời các câu hỏi sau đây.) (ika no toi ni kotae nasai.)
テキストの問い2は難しかったよ。 (Question 2 was really difficult.) (这篇文章的第二题很难哦。) (교과서 2번문제가 어려웠어요.) (Câu hỏi số 2 trong sách giáo khoa khó lắm!) (tekisuto no toi ni wa muzukashi katta yo.)
問題 (mondai)
Question (on the test for a spoken word), Problem, Issue / 问题 / 문제 / Vấn đề
“問題(mondai)” means “Question (on the test for a spoken word), Problems or Issue” and which has been used as the meaning of in an exam, a problem that tests a person’s knowledge or ability OR a subject or problem that people are thinking and talking about”. The basic way to use it is “私は___の問題を解く。(I solve ___ problems.)”, “問題は___(An issue is ___)”, etc. For instance, “私は数学の問題を解く。(I solve math problems.)”, “問題は深刻だ。(An issue is serious)”, etc. The tips for using it is that “問題” has TWO MEANS that “QUESTION and ISSUE” and a SPOKEN WORD of “問い”. Everybody could use “質問” both in daily conversations as casual and in business situations as formal such as “この問題分かる?(Can you answer this question?)” and “この問題分かりますか?(Could you answer this question?)”.
Sample
テストでたくさん難しい問題が出たんだー。 (There were many difficult questions on a test.) (测试中出现了很多难题。) (테스트에서 나온 많은 문제들이 어려웠어.) (Rất nhiều câu hỏi khó được ra trong bài kiểm tra.) (tesuto de takusan muzukashī mondai ga deta nda-.)
テキストの問題を解かないと! (I gotta solve problems in the textbook.) (我得解开课本里的问题!) (교과서의 문제를 풀어야 해!) (Tôi phải giải bài tập trong sách giáo khoa!) (tekisuto no mondai wo tokanaito!)
これは深刻な問題だよ。 (This is a serious problem.) (这是一个严重的问题。) (이건 심각한 문제야.) (Đây là một vấn đề nghiêm trọng đấy.) (kore wa shinkoku na mondai dayo.)
環境問題を軽視したらダメだよ。 (You shouldn’t underestimate an environmental issue.) (你不应该忽视环境问题。) (환경문제를 경시하면 안돼.) (Bạn không được coi thường vấn đề môi trường đâu.) (kankyō mondai wo keishi shitara dame da yo.)
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