diff --git a/ext/prism/extension.c b/ext/prism/extension.c
index 93fa7b0989..47603fd9b4 100644
--- a/ext/prism/extension.c
+++ b/ext/prism/extension.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ VALUE rb_cPrismResult;
 VALUE rb_cPrismParseResult;
 VALUE rb_cPrismLexResult;
 VALUE rb_cPrismParseLexResult;
+VALUE rb_cPrismStringQuery;
 
 VALUE rb_cPrismDebugEncoding;
 
@@ -1133,6 +1134,67 @@ parse_file_failure_p(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE self) {
     return RTEST(parse_file_success_p(argc, argv, self)) ? Qfalse : Qtrue;
 }
 
+/******************************************************************************/
+/* String query methods                                                       */
+/******************************************************************************/
+
+/**
+ * Process the result of a call to a string query method and return an
+ * appropriate value.
+ */
+static VALUE
+string_query(pm_string_query_t result) {
+    switch (result) {
+        case PM_STRING_QUERY_ERROR:
+            rb_raise(rb_eArgError, "Invalid or non ascii-compatible encoding");
+            return Qfalse;
+        case PM_STRING_QUERY_FALSE:
+            return Qfalse;
+        case PM_STRING_QUERY_TRUE:
+            return Qtrue;
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * call-seq:
+ *   Prism::StringQuery::local?(string) -> bool
+ *
+ * Returns true if the string constitutes a valid local variable name. Note that
+ * this means the names that can be set through Binding#local_variable_set, not
+ * necessarily the ones that can be set through a local variable assignment.
+ */
+static VALUE
+string_query_local_p(VALUE self, VALUE string) {
+    const uint8_t *source = (const uint8_t *) check_string(string);
+    return string_query(pm_string_query_local(source, RSTRING_LEN(string), rb_enc_get(string)->name));
+}
+
+/**
+ * call-seq:
+ *   Prism::StringQuery::constant?(string) -> bool
+ *
+ * Returns true if the string constitutes a valid constant name. Note that this
+ * means the names that can be set through Module#const_set, not necessarily the
+ * ones that can be set through a constant assignment.
+ */
+static VALUE
+string_query_constant_p(VALUE self, VALUE string) {
+    const uint8_t *source = (const uint8_t *) check_string(string);
+    return string_query(pm_string_query_constant(source, RSTRING_LEN(string), rb_enc_get(string)->name));
+}
+
+/**
+ * call-seq:
+ *   Prism::StringQuery::method_name?(string) -> bool
+ *
+ * Returns true if the string constitutes a valid method name.
+ */
+static VALUE
+string_query_method_name_p(VALUE self, VALUE string) {
+    const uint8_t *source = (const uint8_t *) check_string(string);
+    return string_query(pm_string_query_method_name(source, RSTRING_LEN(string), rb_enc_get(string)->name));
+}
+
 /******************************************************************************/
 /* Initialization of the extension                                            */
 /******************************************************************************/
@@ -1170,6 +1232,7 @@ Init_prism(void) {
     rb_cPrismParseResult = rb_define_class_under(rb_cPrism, "ParseResult", rb_cPrismResult);
     rb_cPrismLexResult = rb_define_class_under(rb_cPrism, "LexResult", rb_cPrismResult);
     rb_cPrismParseLexResult = rb_define_class_under(rb_cPrism, "ParseLexResult", rb_cPrismResult);
+    rb_cPrismStringQuery = rb_define_class_under(rb_cPrism, "StringQuery", rb_cObject);
 
     // Intern all of the IDs eagerly that we support so that we don't have to do
     // it every time we parse.
@@ -1211,6 +1274,10 @@ Init_prism(void) {
     rb_define_singleton_method(rb_cPrism, "dump_file", dump_file, -1);
 #endif
 
+    rb_define_singleton_method(rb_cPrismStringQuery, "local?", string_query_local_p, 1);
+    rb_define_singleton_method(rb_cPrismStringQuery, "constant?", string_query_constant_p, 1);
+    rb_define_singleton_method(rb_cPrismStringQuery, "method_name?", string_query_method_name_p, 1);
+
     // Next, initialize the other APIs.
     Init_prism_api_node();
     Init_prism_pack();
diff --git a/include/prism.h b/include/prism.h
index 755c38fca2..6f7b850a31 100644
--- a/include/prism.h
+++ b/include/prism.h
@@ -234,6 +234,53 @@ PRISM_EXPORTED_FUNCTION void pm_dump_json(pm_buffer_t *buffer, const pm_parser_t
 
 #endif
 
+/**
+ * Represents the results of a slice query.
+ */
+typedef enum {
+    /** Returned if the encoding given to a slice query was invalid. */
+    PM_STRING_QUERY_ERROR = -1,
+
+    /** Returned if the result of the slice query is false. */
+    PM_STRING_QUERY_FALSE,
+
+    /** Returned if the result of the slice query is true. */
+    PM_STRING_QUERY_TRUE
+} pm_string_query_t;
+
+/**
+ * Check that the slice is a valid local variable name.
+ *
+ * @param source The source to check.
+ * @param length The length of the source.
+ * @param encoding_name The name of the encoding of the source.
+ * @return PM_STRING_QUERY_TRUE if the query is true, PM_STRING_QUERY_FALSE if
+ *   the query is false, and PM_STRING_QUERY_ERROR if the encoding was invalid.
+ */
+PRISM_EXPORTED_FUNCTION pm_string_query_t pm_string_query_local(const uint8_t *source, size_t length, const char *encoding_name);
+
+/**
+ * Check that the slice is a valid constant name.
+ *
+ * @param source The source to check.
+ * @param length The length of the source.
+ * @param encoding_name The name of the encoding of the source.
+ * @return PM_STRING_QUERY_TRUE if the query is true, PM_STRING_QUERY_FALSE if
+ *   the query is false, and PM_STRING_QUERY_ERROR if the encoding was invalid.
+ */
+PRISM_EXPORTED_FUNCTION pm_string_query_t pm_string_query_constant(const uint8_t *source, size_t length, const char *encoding_name);
+
+/**
+ * Check that the slice is a valid method name.
+ *
+ * @param source The source to check.
+ * @param length The length of the source.
+ * @param encoding_name The name of the encoding of the source.
+ * @return PM_STRING_QUERY_TRUE if the query is true, PM_STRING_QUERY_FALSE if
+ *   the query is false, and PM_STRING_QUERY_ERROR if the encoding was invalid.
+ */
+PRISM_EXPORTED_FUNCTION pm_string_query_t pm_string_query_method_name(const uint8_t *source, size_t length, const char *encoding_name);
+
 /**
  * @mainpage
  *
diff --git a/lib/prism.rb b/lib/prism.rb
index 66a64e7fd0..50b14a5486 100644
--- a/lib/prism.rb
+++ b/lib/prism.rb
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ module Prism
   autoload :Pattern, "prism/pattern"
   autoload :Reflection, "prism/reflection"
   autoload :Serialize, "prism/serialize"
+  autoload :StringQuery, "prism/string_query"
   autoload :Translation, "prism/translation"
   autoload :Visitor, "prism/visitor"
 
@@ -75,13 +76,13 @@ def self.load(source, serialized)
 # it's going to require the built library. Otherwise, it's going to require a
 # module that uses FFI to call into the library.
 if RUBY_ENGINE == "ruby" and !ENV["PRISM_FFI_BACKEND"]
-  require "prism/prism"
-
   # The C extension is the default backend on CRuby.
   Prism::BACKEND = :CEXT
-else
-  require_relative "prism/ffi"
 
+  require "prism/prism"
+else
   # The FFI backend is used on other Ruby implementations.
   Prism::BACKEND = :FFI
+
+  require_relative "prism/ffi"
 end
diff --git a/lib/prism/ffi.rb b/lib/prism/ffi.rb
index 0520f7cdd2..a16d7f848f 100644
--- a/lib/prism/ffi.rb
+++ b/lib/prism/ffi.rb
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ def self.load_exported_functions_from(header, *functions, callbacks)
 
     callback :pm_parse_stream_fgets_t, [:pointer, :int, :pointer], :pointer
     enum :pm_string_init_result_t, %i[PM_STRING_INIT_SUCCESS PM_STRING_INIT_ERROR_GENERIC PM_STRING_INIT_ERROR_DIRECTORY]
+    enum :pm_string_query_t, [:PM_STRING_QUERY_ERROR, -1, :PM_STRING_QUERY_FALSE, :PM_STRING_QUERY_TRUE]
 
     load_exported_functions_from(
       "prism.h",
@@ -83,6 +84,9 @@ def self.load_exported_functions_from(header, *functions, callbacks)
       "pm_serialize_lex",
       "pm_serialize_parse_lex",
       "pm_parse_success_p",
+      "pm_string_query_local",
+      "pm_string_query_constant",
+      "pm_string_query_method_name",
       [:pm_parse_stream_fgets_t]
     )
 
@@ -492,4 +496,36 @@ def dump_options(options)
       values.pack(template)
     end
   end
+
+  # Here we are going to patch StringQuery to put in the class-level methods so
+  # that it can maintain a consistent interface
+  class StringQuery
+    class << self
+      # Mirrors the C extension's StringQuery::local? method.
+      def local?(string)
+        query(LibRubyParser.pm_string_query_local(string, string.bytesize, string.encoding.name))
+      end
+
+      # Mirrors the C extension's StringQuery::constant? method.
+      def constant?(string)
+        query(LibRubyParser.pm_string_query_constant(string, string.bytesize, string.encoding.name))
+      end
+
+      # Mirrors the C extension's StringQuery::method_name? method.
+      def method_name?(string)
+        query(LibRubyParser.pm_string_query_method_name(string, string.bytesize, string.encoding.name))
+      end
+
+      private
+
+      # Parse the enum result and return an appropriate boolean.
+      def query(result)
+        case result
+        when :PM_STRING_QUERY_ERROR then raise ArgumentError, "Invalid or non ascii-compatible encoding"
+        when :PM_STRING_QUERY_FALSE then false
+        when :PM_STRING_QUERY_TRUE then true
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/prism/string_query.rb b/lib/prism/string_query.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9011051d2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/prism/string_query.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module Prism
+  # Query methods that allow categorizing strings based on their context for
+  # where they could be valid in a Ruby syntax tree.
+  class StringQuery
+    # The string that this query is wrapping.
+    attr_reader :string
+
+    # Initialize a new query with the given string.
+    def initialize(string)
+      @string = string
+    end
+
+    # Whether or not this string is a valid local variable name.
+    def local?
+      StringQuery.local?(string)
+    end
+
+    # Whether or not this string is a valid constant name.
+    def constant?
+      StringQuery.constant?(string)
+    end
+
+    # Whether or not this string is a valid method name.
+    def method_name?
+      StringQuery.method_name?(string)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/prism.gemspec b/prism.gemspec
index 1a0547f5bc..c4efd8ae03 100644
--- a/prism.gemspec
+++ b/prism.gemspec
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |spec|
     "lib/prism/polyfill/unpack1.rb",
     "lib/prism/reflection.rb",
     "lib/prism/serialize.rb",
+    "lib/prism/string_query.rb",
     "lib/prism/translation.rb",
     "lib/prism/translation/parser.rb",
     "lib/prism/translation/parser33.rb",
diff --git a/src/prism.c b/src/prism.c
index cfd1434ddd..ff5fd933f6 100644
--- a/src/prism.c
+++ b/src/prism.c
@@ -22643,3 +22643,166 @@ pm_serialize_parse_comments(pm_buffer_t *buffer, const uint8_t *source, size_t s
 }
 
 #endif
+
+/******************************************************************************/
+/* Slice queries for the Ruby API                                             */
+/******************************************************************************/
+
+/** The category of slice returned from pm_slice_type. */
+typedef enum {
+    /** Returned when the given encoding name is invalid. */
+    PM_SLICE_TYPE_ERROR = -1,
+
+    /** Returned when no other types apply to the slice. */
+    PM_SLICE_TYPE_NONE,
+
+    /** Returned when the slice is a valid local variable name. */
+    PM_SLICE_TYPE_LOCAL,
+
+    /** Returned when the slice is a valid constant name. */
+    PM_SLICE_TYPE_CONSTANT,
+
+    /** Returned when the slice is a valid method name. */
+    PM_SLICE_TYPE_METHOD_NAME
+} pm_slice_type_t;
+
+/**
+ * Check that the slice is a valid local variable name or constant.
+ */
+pm_slice_type_t
+pm_slice_type(const uint8_t *source, size_t length, const char *encoding_name) {
+    // first, get the right encoding object
+    const pm_encoding_t *encoding = pm_encoding_find((const uint8_t *) encoding_name, (const uint8_t *) (encoding_name + strlen(encoding_name)));
+    if (encoding == NULL) return PM_SLICE_TYPE_ERROR;
+
+    // check that there is at least one character
+    if (length == 0) return PM_SLICE_TYPE_NONE;
+
+    size_t width;
+    if ((width = encoding->alpha_char(source, (ptrdiff_t) length)) != 0) {
+        // valid because alphabetical
+    } else if (*source == '_') {
+        // valid because underscore
+        width = 1;
+    } else if ((*source >= 0x80) && ((width = encoding->char_width(source, (ptrdiff_t) length)) > 0)) {
+        // valid because multibyte
+    } else {
+        // invalid because no match
+        return PM_SLICE_TYPE_NONE;
+    }
+
+    // determine the type of the slice based on the first character
+    const uint8_t *end = source + length;
+    pm_slice_type_t result = encoding->isupper_char(source, end - source) ? PM_SLICE_TYPE_CONSTANT : PM_SLICE_TYPE_LOCAL;
+
+    // next, iterate through all of the bytes of the string to ensure that they
+    // are all valid identifier characters
+    source += width;
+
+    while (source < end) {
+        if ((width = encoding->alnum_char(source, end - source)) != 0) {
+            // valid because alphanumeric
+            source += width;
+        } else if (*source == '_') {
+            // valid because underscore
+            source++;
+        } else if ((*source >= 0x80) && ((width = encoding->char_width(source, end - source)) > 0)) {
+            // valid because multibyte
+            source += width;
+        } else {
+            // invalid because no match
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // accept a ! or ? at the end of the slice as a method name
+    if (*source == '!' || *source == '?' || *source == '=') {
+        source++;
+        result = PM_SLICE_TYPE_METHOD_NAME;
+    }
+
+    // valid if we are at the end of the slice
+    return source == end ? result : PM_SLICE_TYPE_NONE;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check that the slice is a valid local variable name.
+ */
+PRISM_EXPORTED_FUNCTION pm_string_query_t
+pm_string_query_local(const uint8_t *source, size_t length, const char *encoding_name) {
+    switch (pm_slice_type(source, length, encoding_name)) {
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_ERROR:
+            return PM_STRING_QUERY_ERROR;
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_NONE:
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_CONSTANT:
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_METHOD_NAME:
+            return PM_STRING_QUERY_FALSE;
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_LOCAL:
+            return PM_STRING_QUERY_TRUE;
+    }
+
+    assert(false && "unreachable");
+    return PM_STRING_QUERY_FALSE;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check that the slice is a valid constant name.
+ */
+PRISM_EXPORTED_FUNCTION pm_string_query_t
+pm_string_query_constant(const uint8_t *source, size_t length, const char *encoding_name) {
+    switch (pm_slice_type(source, length, encoding_name)) {
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_ERROR:
+            return PM_STRING_QUERY_ERROR;
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_NONE:
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_LOCAL:
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_METHOD_NAME:
+            return PM_STRING_QUERY_FALSE;
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_CONSTANT:
+            return PM_STRING_QUERY_TRUE;
+    }
+
+    assert(false && "unreachable");
+    return PM_STRING_QUERY_FALSE;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check that the slice is a valid method name.
+ */
+PRISM_EXPORTED_FUNCTION pm_string_query_t
+pm_string_query_method_name(const uint8_t *source, size_t length, const char *encoding_name) {
+#define B(p) ((p) ? PM_STRING_QUERY_TRUE : PM_STRING_QUERY_FALSE)
+#define C1(c) (*source == c)
+#define C2(s) (memcmp(source, s, 2) == 0)
+#define C3(s) (memcmp(source, s, 3) == 0)
+
+    switch (pm_slice_type(source, length, encoding_name)) {
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_ERROR:
+            return PM_STRING_QUERY_ERROR;
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_NONE:
+            break;
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_LOCAL:
+            // numbered parameters are not valid method names
+            return B((length != 2) || (source[0] != '_') || (source[1] == '0') || !pm_char_is_decimal_digit(source[1]));
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_CONSTANT:
+            // all constants are valid method names
+        case PM_SLICE_TYPE_METHOD_NAME:
+            // all method names are valid method names
+            return PM_STRING_QUERY_TRUE;
+    }
+
+    switch (length) {
+        case 1:
+            return B(C1('&') || C1('`') || C1('!') || C1('^') || C1('>') || C1('<') || C1('-') || C1('%') || C1('|') || C1('+') || C1('/') || C1('*') || C1('~'));
+        case 2:
+            return B(C2("!=") || C2("!~") || C2("[]") || C2("==") || C2("=~") || C2(">=") || C2(">>") || C2("<=") || C2("<<") || C2("**"));
+        case 3:
+            return B(C3("===") || C3("<=>") || C3("[]="));
+        default:
+            return PM_STRING_QUERY_FALSE;
+    }
+
+#undef B
+#undef C1
+#undef C2
+#undef C3
+}
diff --git a/test/prism/ruby/string_query_test.rb b/test/prism/ruby/string_query_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..aa50c10ff3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/prism/ruby/string_query_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require_relative "../test_helper"
+
+module Prism
+  class StringQueryTest < TestCase
+    def test_local?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("a"), :local?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("a1"), :local?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("self"), :local?
+
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("_a"), :local?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("_1"), :local?
+
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("😀"), :local?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("ア".encode("Windows-31J")), :local?
+
+      refute_predicate StringQuery.new("1"), :local?
+      refute_predicate StringQuery.new("A"), :local?
+    end
+
+    def test_constant?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("A"), :constant?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("A1"), :constant?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("A_B"), :constant?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("BEGIN"), :constant?
+
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("À"), :constant?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("A".encode("US-ASCII")), :constant?
+
+      refute_predicate StringQuery.new("a"), :constant?
+      refute_predicate StringQuery.new("1"), :constant?
+    end
+
+    def test_method_name?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("a"), :method_name?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("A"), :method_name?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("__FILE__"), :method_name?
+
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("a?"), :method_name?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("a!"), :method_name?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("a="), :method_name?
+
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("+"), :method_name?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("<<"), :method_name?
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("==="), :method_name?
+
+      assert_predicate StringQuery.new("_0"), :method_name?
+
+      refute_predicate StringQuery.new("1"), :method_name?
+      refute_predicate StringQuery.new("_1"), :method_name?
+    end
+
+    def test_invalid_encoding
+      assert_raise ArgumentError do
+        StringQuery.new("A".encode("UTF-16LE")).local?
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end