How to Say ‘May I ask’ in Traditional Chinese
請問
qǐng wèn
[ching wen]
🇹🇼 In Taiwan: Staff in Taiwan start almost every question with 請問 (qǐng wèn). Starting your own questions at the counter with it sounds polite without being stiff.
Phrase Breakdown
請問
qǐng wèn
[ching wen]
may I ask; excuse me
A polite phrase used to start a question, especially with strangers or in shops.
請問，總共多少錢？
Excuse me, how much is it in total?
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