問題
Meaning in Englishproblem, question
Animated kanji stroke order
Related sentences
Word context
What it means
問題 (mondai) means a question or a problem: it refers to something that must be answered, solved, or addressed. In everyday use it covers both concrete questions (such as test items or exercises) and broader difficulties or issues that obstruct a plan or require discussion and resolution.
Main meanings
- A single question on a test, survey, or questionnaire — a specific item that expects an answer.
- An exercise or task to be solved, especially in academic or technical contexts.
- A difficulty, obstacle, or malfunction that causes trouble in processes or systems.
- An issue or matter for discussion, debate, or investigation in social, political, or business contexts.
- A point of concern or criticism when evaluating performance or results.
How to use it
Used across spoken and written Japanese, from casual conversation to formal documents; in casual speech it often flags a trouble or complaint, while in academic, technical, or business settings it refers to test questions, tasks, or specific issues to be solved and is commonly paired with verbs meaning 'appear,' 'solve,' or 'raise' to describe status or action.
Variants and close terms
- 課題 (kadai) — task, assignment, challenge
- 問題点 (mondaiten) — problematic point, issue
- 障害 (shougai) — obstacle, impediment
- 相談 (soudan) — consultation, matter to discuss
- 解決 (kaiketsu) — solution (antonym)
Composition
- 問 (mon): ask, question — the element denoting inquiry or interrogation.
- 題 (dai): topic, title — the element denoting a subject or matter to be addressed.
- Combined, the characters convey the idea of a titled question or a subject that demands an answer or solution, which naturally extends to problems and issues.
Origin
The compound entered Japanese through Sino-Japanese vocabulary derived from Classical Chinese; it appears in premodern texts but became especially widespread with modern education and bureaucratic systems when standardized examinations, written reports, and administrative problems increased the need for a single word covering both 'question' and 'issue.'
Word class
noun (名詞)