enquire
Definitions
To ask for information about something.
询问；打听
To investigate or look into a matter (enquire into).
调查；调问（enquire into）
Root Breakdown
Root-deriveden-/in- (into) + quire (the 'quaer' root, to seek) = 'to seek into' a matter. enquire and inquire are the same word; British English tends to use enquire for everyday asking and inquire for formal investigation, but the two spellings overlap heavily.
Root quaer still carries 8 more wordsUsage Guide
- enquire vs inquire: largely interchangeable. BrE leans enquire for general asking ('enquire about prices') and inquire for formal probes; AmE prefers inquire for both.
- enquire about something / whether...: ask for information
- enquire into something: conduct an investigation — more formal, often official
Note the spelling: en- here, not in-.
Example Sentences
- 1.
I'm writing to enquire about the job advertised last week.
- 2.
She enquired whether the museum was open on Sundays.
- 3.
The committee will enquire into the cause of the accident.