Meanings of 請
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About 請
Podcast: 請
Podcast: 請
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AI Study Notes for 請
请 (qǐng) vs 让 (ràng) — use 请 (qǐng) for polite requests or invitations, while 让 (ràng) implies giving permission or allowing someone to do something.
Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing 請; the third tone can easily be confused with the first tone in rapid speech. It's also common to see this character in phrases like 請問 (qǐngwèn, 'may I ask') or 請客 (qǐngkè, 'to treat someone'). Avoid using it in overly casual settings, as it may come off as insincere.
Although 請 is not officially part of HSK levels, it is a fundamental word that often appears in HSK vocabulary. Students should focus on its usage in polite requests and practice combining it with verbs to form complete sentences.
Learners often confuse 請 with other similar-sounding words. For instance, saying '我請你' (wǒ qǐng nǐ) when they mean '我邀请你' (wǒ yāoqǐng nǐ) can lead to misunderstanding, as the latter is more about inviting someone specifically.
Pronunciation of 請
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Etymology of 請
Simplified form of 請. Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 青 represents the sound.
speech
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 請
Simplified form of 請. Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 青 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half言 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half青 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayspeech
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 請? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 請
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How to say to ask, to request; to invite; please in Chinese
“to ask, to request; to invite; please” in Chinese is請
The character 請 (qǐng) is commonly used to express a request or invitation, equivalent to 'please' in English. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts, such as asking someone to do something or inviting someone to an event, making it a versatile word in daily conversation.
When to use 請
Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing 請; the third tone can easily be confused with the first tone in rapid speech. It's also common to see this character in phrases like 請問 (qǐngwèn, 'may I ask') or 請客 (qǐngkè, 'to treat someone'). Avoid using it in overly casual settings, as it may come off as insincere.
請 or something close to it
请 (qǐng) vs 让 (ràng) — use 请 (qǐng) for polite requests or invitations, while 让 (ràng) implies giving permission or allowing someone to do something.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 請 with other similar-sounding words. For instance, saying '我請你' (wǒ qǐng nǐ) when they mean '我邀请你' (wǒ yāoqǐng nǐ) can lead to misunderstanding, as the latter is more about inviting someone specifically.
Write 請
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Practice writing 請 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 請
Compound Meaning
What does 请 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 請
You can use 請 to make requests, such as '請給我水' (qǐng gěi wǒ shuǐ) meaning 'please give me water'.
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