Meaning of 引
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to draw (e.g. a bow)
- to pull
- to stretch sth
- to extend
- to lengthen
- to involve or implicate in
- to attract
- to lead
How to use 引
On its own, 引 appears mostly in set phrases and formal writing. In everyday speech it usually shows up inside compounds 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 drew everyone's attention.
引 (yǐn) is a bow 弓 (gōng) with a straight line beside it, like the bowstring being pulled back. Picture drawing a bow, and you have the core meaning: to pull or draw.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write the vertical line too short or attach it to 弓, but it is a separate full stroke standing on the right. Also, 引起 usually takes abstract objects like 注意 (zhùyì, attention) or 问题 (wèntí, problems), so do not use it for physically pulling something.
引 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
引 yǐn · to draw · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Related words
Words that share a character with 引.
| 引起 | yǐnqǐ | to give rise to; to lead to; to cause; to arouse |
| 吸引 | xīyǐn | to attract; to appeal to; to fascinate |
| 引导 | yǐndǎo | to guide; to lead (around) |
| 引进 | yǐnjìn | to recommend; to introduce (from outside) |
| 引擎 | yǐnqíng | engine (loanword) |
| 引发 | yǐnfā | to lead to; to trigger |
| 指引 | zhǐyǐn | to guide; to show |
| 引诱 | yǐnyòu | to coerce (sb into doing sth bad); to lure (into a trap) |
| 引用 | yǐnyòng | to quote; to cite; to recommend; to appoint |
| 引领 | yǐnlǐng | to crane one's neck; to await eagerly |
| 引人注目 | yǐnrén-zhùmù | to attract attention; eye-catching |
| 引入 | yǐnrù | to draw into; to pull into |
Questions about 引
What does 引 mean?
引 (yǐn) means "to draw (e.g. a bow); to pull" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 引?
引 is made of 1 character: 引 (4 strokes). That is 4 strokes in total.
Is 引 an HSK word?
Yes. 引 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 引起 and 引发?
Both mean to cause or lead to. 引发 (yǐnfā) suggests triggering something sudden or serious, like a fire or a conflict. 引起 (yǐnqǐ) is more general and common, as in 引起注意 (to attract attention).
Why does 引擎 mean engine?
引擎 (yǐnqíng) is a loanword that imitates the sound of the English word engine. The characters were chosen mainly for sound, though 引 (to pull) also fits the idea of a machine that drives things forward.