How to Write 询 (xún) — Meaning “to inquire; to ask”

Imagine you need to ask a question every ten days (旬) and you do it by speaking (讠), making the inquiry regular and planned. This combines the sound (xún) and meaning into a visual story: each cycle you inquire. The mnemonic "speak every ten days to ask" helps link the components.

Write the left radical 讠 first with a dot then a horizontal stroke that turns upward, keeping it narrow. Then write the right part 旬: a left slant, a horizontal fold hook, and the 日 (sun) inside; the entire character is 8 strokes. A common mistake is making the right side too wide or unbalanced — the left should be about one-third of the width.

询 means 'to inquire or consult,' while 讲 means 'to speak or explain' (as in a lecture) and 讳 means 'to avoid mentioning' (as in a taboo). Visually, 询 has 旬 on the right, 讲 has 井 (well), and 讳 has 韦 (leather). Focusing on the right-side component helps tell them apart at a glance.

询 appears in formal words like 询问 (to inquire), 咨询 (to consult), and 查询 (to search or check). It is common in customer service, official documents, and polite requests — for example, 咨询电话 (consultation phone line). Using 询 implies a respectful, structured way of asking for information rather than casual conversation.

Common words containing 询 include: 询问 (xún wèn) — to inquire; to ask about; 咨询 (zī xún) — to consult; consultation; 查询 (chá xún) — to inquire or search.