How to say "enquiry" in Japanese

• 質問しつもんJLPT N5approx.Common
  suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verb, no-adjectiveEnquiry as the act of asking a question in order to get an answer; the word for putting a question to a person, whether spoken or written.
  その事故じこについて彼かれに質問しつもんした。↗

  I asked him about the accident.
• 考察こうさつCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbEnquiry as intellectual examination of a subject — weighing and analysing material rather than asking; in practice it often reads as 'consideration' or 'analysis', especially in academic writing.
  「割り当わりあて」という概念がいねんを考察こうさつすることから始はじめよう。↗

  We will begin by considering the concept of "quota".
• 問い合わせといあわせJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounAn enquiry addressed to a company or organization to obtain information, as when a customer queries a business; this is the word for that kind of contact.
  ご兄弟きょうだいのことはカンザス州かんざすしゅうから問い合といあわせを受うけたばかりです。↗

  We have just received an inquiry from Kansas concerning your brother.
• 探査たんさCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbRarely the word you want for 'enquiry': it means probing or surveying something physically — exploration and investigation of an area or object — so it suits 'probe' far better than 'enquiry'.
• 探究たんきゅうCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbEnquiry in the sense of sustained, searching investigation — research aimed at getting at the truth of something; think of scientific or philosophical enquiry rather than a single question.
  人間にんげんの真理しんりの探究たんきゅうに対たいして不朽ふきゅうの貢献こうけんをした書物しょもつを、我々われわれは偉大いだいな書物しょもつと呼よぶのである。↗

  Those books which have made a lasting contribution to man's quest for truth, we call great books.

Use 質問 for asking a question, 「問い合わせ」 for contacting an organization, 探究 for sustained research, 考察 for analytical consideration, and avoid 探査 except for literal probing or exploration.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 質問しつもんquestion
• 考察こうさつconsideration
• 問い合わせといあわせinquiry
• 探査たんさprobe
• 探究たんきゅうresearch
• 照会しょうかいinquiry
• 諮問しもんconsultation
• 査問さもんinquiry
• 調査ちょうさinvestigation
• 捜査そうさsearch (esp. in criminal investigations)
• 吟味ぎんみclose examination
• 聴取ちょうしゅhearing (of a statement, opinion, explanation, etc.)
• 取り調べとりしらべinvestigation (e.g. by police or prosecutors)
• 問いかけといかけquery
• 下問かもんenquiry
• お問い合わせおといあわせenquiry
• 糾問きゅうもんinquiry
• 諮詢しじゅんquestion
• 聞き合せききあわせinquiry
• 事情聴取じじょうちょうしゅinquiry
• お尋ねおたずねinquiry
• 伺いうかがいinquiry
• 引き合いひきあいinquiry (about a product, business deal, etc.)
• 詮議せんぎinvestigation (into a suspect)
• お伺いおうかがいinquiry