to ask back; to retort; rhetorical question
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesverb
to ask a question in return; to retort
neutralUsed when responding to a question by asking another question, often to challenge or turn the inquiry back on the questioner.
She didn't answer, but instead retorted by asking me, 'What do you think?'
Hearing this accusation, he immediately asked the other party in return where the evidence was.
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The reporter asked questions continuously, and the premier calmly asked questions back one by one, controlling the situation.
noun
rhetorical question
neutralA figure of speech where a question is asked not to obtain an answer, but to assert or deny something emphatically. In Chinese, common markers include “难道”, “岂不是”, etc.
'Don't you want to succeed?' This is a typical rhetorical question.
He ended the debate with a rhetorical question: 'Who benefits from doing it this way?'
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The teacher uses rhetorical questions to启发students to think, rather than giving answers directly.