‘请示’ is a formal verb meaning 'to seek instructions' or 'to request guidance', typically used when a subordinate asks a superior for direction on a matter requiring approval or clarification. The character 请 (qǐng) means 'to request', and 示 (shì) means 'to show' or 'to indicate'; together, they convey the idea of asking someone in authority to show or indicate what should be done.

This term is common in workplace, governmental, and organizational contexts in China—especially in written communication like official memos, emails, or reports. It carries a respectful, hierarchical tone and implies deference to the recipient’s authority. Unlike casual verbs like 问 (wèn, 'to ask'), 请示 emphasizes procedural formality and responsibility: the speaker acknowledges that the decision rests with the superior and that their own action depends on the reply.