问题
question; problem
wèntí
What does 问题 mean?
问题 (wèntí) covers both senses English splits into two words: a 'question' someone asks, and a 'problem' that needs solving. 我有一个问题 can mean 'I have a question' OR 'I have a problem' — context decides. The most common collocations: 问问题 ('to ask a question'), 回答问题 ('to answer a question'), 解决问题 ('to solve a problem'), and the reassuring 没问题 ('no problem').
When someone asks 你有什么问题吗？ in a meeting, they mean 'any questions?'; when a mechanic says 你的车有问题, they mean 'your car has a problem.' For exam or quiz items specifically, the measure word is 道 (一道题); in general use, 个 is fine.
Character breakdown
to ask
topic; subject; (exam) question
Memory hook: 问 (ask) + 题 (topic) — the topic you ask about. Either a question or the problem behind it.
Measure word for 问题
Example sentences
我可以问你一个问题吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ wèn nǐ yí ge wèntí ma?
Can I ask you a question?
neutral
没问题，我帮你。
Méi wèntí, wǒ bāng nǐ.
No problem, I'll help you.
spoken
这个问题很难回答。
Zhège wèntí hěn nán huídá.
This question is hard to answer.
neutral
我们一起解决这个问题。
Wǒmen yìqǐ jiějué zhège wèntí.
Let's solve this problem together.
neutral
Common phrases with 问题
Hear it in real Fluentide episodes
问题 appears in 4 podcast episodes at natural native speed, with full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Synonyms
题 alone means 'exam question / quiz item.' 这道题很难 ('this question is hard'). 问题 is broader and covers everyday questions and problems.
When 问题 means 'problem/trouble,' 麻烦 is a near-synonym. 麻烦 leans toward 'hassle/inconvenience'; 问题 is more neutral. 出问题了 ('something's wrong') vs 麻烦了 ('this is troublesome').
Don't confuse 问题 with
题目 specifically means 'title' (of an essay, article, exam) or 'topic.' 这篇文章的题目是… ('the title of this article is…'). 问题 is a question OR a problem, not a title.
毛病 means a 'fault / defect / bad habit,' often for machines or people. 这台电脑有毛病 ('this computer has a defect'). Overlaps with 问题 in 'something's wrong,' but more colloquial and slightly negative.