质询 (zhì xún) is a formal verb meaning 'to question officially or rigorously,' typically in institutional, legal, or political settings—especially in legislative bodies like China’s National People’s Congress or local people’s congresses. The character 质 (zhì) means 'to challenge' or 'to question critically,' often implying scrutiny of truth or legitimacy; 询 (xún) means 'to inquire' or 'to ask.' Together, they convey a structured, authoritative act of seeking accountability—not casual questioning, but a procedural demand for explanation or justification.

This term appears almost exclusively in official discourse: government reports, news coverage of parliamentary sessions, legal documents, or academic analyses of governance. It carries a tone of seriousness and institutional weight, and is rarely used in everyday conversation. While it can appear in written media about international parliaments (e.g., UK Prime Minister’s Questions), its strongest association is with China’s socialist consultative democracy framework, where deputies use 质询 to hold state organs accountable under the Constitution and Supervision Law.