How to Say ‘May I ask...’ in Traditional Chinese
請問...
qǐng wèn
[ching wun]
💬 Usage Tip: [請問] is the standard polite opener for a question, like [excuse me, may I ask...]. Use it before almost any information question: [請問有停車場嗎？] or [請問幾點開始？]
🇹🇼 In Taiwan: In Taiwan, starting a question with [請問] is very normal with restaurant staff, clerks, or strangers. It makes even direct questions sound smoother and more courteous.
Phrase Breakdown
請問
qǐng wèn
[ching wun]
may I ask...; excuse me...
A polite phrase used to begin a question.
請問...餐廳附近好停車嗎？
May I ask... is parking near the restaurant convenient?
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