zi6 man6自問自问

Jyutpingzi6 man6

Yalejih mahn

動詞Common

Definition

To ask or examine oneself; to believe oneself to have acted in a certain way after self-reflection.

colloquialdaily actionsemotion

How it's used

Often used in rhetorical contexts to express a sense of injustice or to prompt someone to reflect on their own conscience. It frequently appears in the structure 自問 + [adjective/verb phrase] to assert that one has acted with integrity or fulfilled their duties. It carries a slightly formal or serious tone compared to casual self-reflection.

Examples

zi6自man6問deoi3對keoi5佢gam3咁hou2好，dim2點gaai2解keoi5佢jiu3要gam3咁joeng2樣deoi3對ngo5我？

I ask myself, why did they treat me like this after I was so good to them?

nei5你zi6自man6問haa5下，le1呢gin2件si6事hai6係mai6咪zan1真hai6係nei5你co3錯？

Ask yourself, is it really your fault?

Common phrases

zi6自man6問zi6自daap3答

to ask and answer oneself

zi6自man6問mou4無kwai5愧

to have a clear conscience

Common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse it with 詢問, which means to ask someone else. Remember that 自問 is strictly reflexive and implies an internal dialogue rather than an external inquiry.