问世
wèn shì · HSK 7
to come out
📖 问世 = ask (问) + world (世): a work goes out to ask the world to read it = to be published
When something 问世, it presents itself to 世 (the world) for the first time. Use it for books, products, or inventions that come out or get published.
问 — gate 门 (phonetic) + mouth 口 (semantic)
问 is a phono-semantic compound. The 口 (mouth) on the inside gives the meaning—using the mouth to ask—while 门 (gate/door) supplies the sound, close to 'mén/wèn'. The traditional form 問 places 口 inside 門, vividly suggesting speaking through a doorway to inquire.