问候
wèn hoù · HSK 4
to send a greeting
👋 问 = ask + 候 = inquire/greet; together: to send greetings
问 means to ask (口 mouth radical + 门 gate phonetic). 候 means to inquire after or wait upon someone. The compound literally stacks two 'asking after' verbs, intensifying into formal greeting or paying respects.
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.