query, ask, inquire, interrogate, question
这组词都有“问,询问”之意。它们的区别是:
ask是最常用词,指对不了解的事情提出问题,并期望得到答复,常用在口语中,例如:
Did you ask him his name and address?你问他的姓名和地址了吗?
inquire多用作书面语,比ask正式,常译作“询问,调查”,指为得到某人或某物的真实确切情况而详细“询问”,但不一定要有被问者,例如:
The police are trying to inquire into the cause of his death.警察正在设法查出他的死因。
question指对某人或某物主动提出问题,以便了解详细情况,意思为“提出,质问”,含有审问的意思,例如:
The prisoner was questioned by the police.犯人被警察所质问。
interrogate意为“盘问,提问题”,多指为了某种特殊目的,希望把一切搞清楚而进行的有条理的询问,可与question互换,例如:
The lawyer took a long time to interrogate the witness fully.律师花了很长的时间来彻底地盘问证人。
query作“质问”或“提出疑问”解,这种“质问”多指向自己的上级或有权势的人提出的质问,目的在于消除疑问,例如:
They queried the President about his intentions.他们对总统的想法提出了疑问。