问题 (wèn tí) literally combines 问 (wèn), meaning 'to ask', and 题 (tí), meaning 'topic' or 'subject'. Together, they form a noun that primarily means 'question' — as in something asked to gain information — but also extends to 'issue', 'problem', or 'matter' requiring attention or resolution. It’s a neutral, widely used term across formal and informal contexts, from classroom discussions to workplace meetings and everyday conversations.

The word is often the object of verbs like 有 (yǒu, 'to have'), 解决 (jiějué, 'to solve'), or 提出 (tíchū, 'to raise/pose'). Unlike more colloquial terms like 事儿 (shìr), 问题 carries no strong emotional connotation and is appropriate in both written and spoken Standard Mandarin. It frequently appears in fixed phrases such as 没有问题 (méi yǒu wèn tí, 'no problem') or 有什么问题吗？(yǒu shénme wèn tí ma?, 'Do you have any questions?').