裏うら問どう

Meanings

1

godan verb (-u, special)

to probe someone's true feelings; to sound out someone's heart

rare term

Rare, archaic verb. Describes trying to ascertain what someone really thinks or feels, often by indirect questioning. Not used in modern conversation.

古ふるい文ぶん献けんでは、相あい手ての本ほん心しんを裏うら問どう場ば面めんが描えがかれている。
In old texts, there are scenes where someone probes another's true feelings.

Kanji

裏back, amidst, in
問question, ask, problem

Similar words

探さぐる
Modern, common verb for probing or sounding out someone's intentions or feelings. 裏問う is its rare, archaic counterpart.
聞きき出だす
Common verb for eliciting information through questioning. 裏問う carries a more literary, indirect nuance of reading hidden emotions.

Etymology

Compound of 裏 (ura, 'back, hidden side') and 問う (tou, 'to ask, question'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning of questioning someone's hidden feelings.