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How to Say ‘Ask a little / ask something’ in Simplified Chinese

问一下

wèn yī xià

[wun ee shyah]

💬 Usage Tip: [一下] after a verb often softens the action, making it sound lighter and more polite. So [问一下] is not literally "ask once" here; it's the natural way to say "just ask" or "ask briefly."

Phrase Breakdown

wèn

[wun]

to ask

A verb meaning to ask a question or inquire about something.

Example

我想问司机一个问题。

I want to ask the driver a question.

一下

yī xià

[ee shyah]

a bit / briefly

A softening expression used after a verb to make it sound lighter or more polite.

Example

我先问一下,您收现金吗?

Let me ask briefly first, do you accept cash?

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