Japanese word of the day: 問題 (Mondai)

What does 問題 (Mondai) mean?

問題 (Mondai) (noun) — Problem; question; issue; matter. This word is used for anything from a tricky math problem to a social issue, or even a question on a test.

Kanji details for 問 and 題

Character: 問 — question, ask, problem
Radical: mouth, opening 口

Character: 題 — topic, subject
Radical: leaf 頁

Example sentences with 問題 (Mondai)

• このテストの問題は難しいです。
  (Kono tesuto no mondai wa muzukashii desu.)
  📝 The questions on this test are difficult.

• 次の問題に答えてください。
  (Tsugi no mondai ni kotaete kudasai.)
  ➡️ Please answer the next question.

• 問題が全部で何問ありますか？
  (Mondai ga zenbu de nanmon arimasu ka?)
  ❓ How many questions are there in total?

問題 (Mondai) in context

問題 is a flexible word that pops up everywhere in Japanese life. On tests and in textbooks, it means "question" or "problem"—as in "数学の問題" (math problem) or "テストの問題" (test question). In everyday conversation, it’s used for issues, troubles, or concerns: "問題ない" (mondai nai) means "no problem," a phrase you’ll hear all the time.

You’ll also see 問題 in phrases like "社会問題" (shakai mondai, social issue) or "環境問題" (kankyō mondai, environmental issue). If something isn’t worth discussing, you might hear "問題にならない" (mondai ni naranai)—"not even worth being a problem."