‘请问’ is a polite, formal expression used to introduce a question—similar to 'excuse me' or 'may I ask' in English. It combines the verb 请 (qǐng), meaning 'to request' or 'please', and the verb 问 (wèn), meaning 'to ask'. Together, they form a courteous phrase that signals respect and softens the act of questioning, especially when speaking to strangers, elders, or authority figures.

This phrase is commonly used in daily interactions: asking for directions, confirming information at a store or office, or beginning a conversation with someone you don’t know well. It’s never used in isolation as a complete sentence—it always precedes a question (e.g., 请问…在哪里？or 请问几点了？). Unlike casual alternatives like ‘喂’ or ‘你好’, 请问 carries clear deference and is expected in service contexts, public settings, or written communication like emails and forms.