引 meaning and stroke order
To draw (e.g. a bow); to pull; to stretch sth
How to write 引, stroke by stroke
4 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 引
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to draw (e.g. a bow)
- to pull
- to stretch sth
- to extend
- to lengthen
- to involve or implicate in
How 引 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To pull back a bow's 弓 drawstring 丨.
Radical: 弓 (bow), shared by 29 characters on this site.
How to remember 引
On the left is a bow 弓 (gōng), and on the right is a single straight line 丨 standing for the bowstring. Picture yourself pulling the string back to draw the bow, and you have 引 (yǐn), to pull or draw.
引 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It mostly appears in compounds about pulling something toward you or causing something to happen, like 吸引 (xīyǐn) to attract and 引起 (yǐnqǐ) to cause. Example: 这个问题引起了大家的注意。(Zhège wèntí yǐnqǐ le dàjiā de zhùyì.) This problem caught everyone's attention.
Common mistake: Learners often write 弓 on the right or confuse 引 with 弘 (hóng), which has 厶 instead of a straight line. Also remember the tone is third tone yǐn, not fourth tone like 印 (yìn, to print).
Common words with 引
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 引起 | yǐnqǐ | to give rise to; to lead to; to cause; to arouse | HSK 4 |
| 吸引 | xīyǐn | to attract; to appeal to; to fascinate | HSK 4 |
| 引导 | yǐndǎo | to guide; to lead (around) | HSK 4 |
| 引进 | yǐnjìn | to recommend; to introduce (from outside) | HSK 4 |
| 引擎 | yǐnqíng | engine (loanword) | HSK 7-9 |
| 引发 | yǐnfā | to lead to; to trigger | HSK 7-9 |
| 指引 | zhǐyǐn | to guide; to show | HSK 7-9 |
| 引诱 | yǐnyòu | to coerce (sb into doing sth bad); to lure (into a trap) | HSK 7-9 |
| 引用 | yǐnyòng | to quote; to cite; to recommend; to appoint | HSK 7-9 |
| 引领 | yǐnlǐng | to crane one's neck; to await eagerly | HSK 7-9 |
| 引人注目 | yǐnrén-zhùmù | to attract attention; eye-catching | HSK 7-9 |
| 引入 | yǐnrù | to draw into; to pull into | HSK 7-9 |
| 引人入胜 | yǐnrén-rùshèng | to enchant; fascinating | HSK 7-9 |
| 引经据典 | yǐnjīng-jùdiǎn | lit. to quote the classics; to quote chapter and verse (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
引 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 引
Learning 引 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 引
How many strokes are in 引?
引 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 引 mean?
引 (yǐn) means to draw (e.g. a bow); to pull; to stretch sth. A common word with it is 引起 (yǐnqǐ), meaning "to give rise to; to lead to; to cause; to arouse".
How do you pronounce 引?
引 is pronounced yǐn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 引?
The radical of 引 is 弓, which carries the idea of "bow". Dictionaries list 引 under this radical.
Is 引 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 引 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 引起 and 引发?
Both mean to cause or lead to. 引起 is the general everyday choice, often with attention, interest or problems. 引发 suggests triggering something bigger or sudden, like a fire, a debate or a crisis.
Why does 引擎 mean engine?
引擎 (yǐnqíng) is a sound loanword from the English word engine. The characters were chosen mainly for their sound, though 引 (pull) also fits the idea of a machine that drives things forward.