Meaning of 引起
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to give rise to; to lead to; to cause; to arouse
How to use 引起
引起 is used when one thing causes a reaction, problem, or feeling, and it often takes objects like 注意 (zhùyì, attention), 问题 (wèntí, problem), or 兴趣 (xìngqù, interest). Example: 这件事引起了大家的注意。(Zhè jiàn shì yǐnqǐ le dàjiā de zhùyì.) This matter attracted everyone's attention.
引 (yǐn) means to pull or lead, and 起 (qǐ) means to rise up. When you pull something and make it rise up, you cause it to happen.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 引起 (yǐnqǐ) with 一起 (yīqǐ, together) because they sound alike. Listen for the third tone on 引 and remember that 引起 needs an object, while 一起 does not.
引起 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
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- 2
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- 4
起 qǐ · to rise · 10 strokes
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- 2
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Related words
Words that share a character with 引起.
| 一起 | yīqǐ | (in) the same place; together; in company (with) |
| 起来 | qǐlái | to stand up; to get up; also pr. [qi3lai2] |
| 对不起 | duìbuqǐ | I'm sorry; excuse me; I beg your pardon; to let (sb) down; to disappoint |
| 起床 | qǐchuáng | to get out of bed; to get up |
| 想起 | xiǎngqǐ | to recall; to think of |
| 起飞 | qǐfēi | (of an aircraft or rocket) to take off; to lift off; (fig.) (of an enterprise etc) to star |
| 看起来 | kàn qǐlái | seemingly; apparently; looks as if; appears to be; gives the impression that; seems on the |
| 了不起 | liǎobuqǐ | amazing; terrific |
| 吸引 | xīyǐn | to attract; to appeal to; to fascinate |
| 引导 | yǐndǎo | to guide; to lead (around) |
| 看不起 | kànbuqǐ | to look down upon; to despise |
| 引进 | yǐnjìn | to recommend; to introduce (from outside) |
Questions about 引起
What does 引起 mean?
引起 (yǐnqǐ) means "to give rise to; to lead to; to cause; to arouse" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 引起?
引起 is made of 2 characters: 引 (4 strokes), 起 (10 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 引起 an HSK word?
Yes. 引起 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 引起 and 导致?
Both mean to cause, but 导致 (dǎozhì) almost always leads to a bad result and sounds more formal. 引起 is more neutral and is common with attention, interest, or discussion as well as problems.
Can I use 引起 for a person causing something on purpose?
引起 usually describes an event, action, or situation that causes a reaction, not deliberate intent. For example, 他的话引起了误会 (tā de huà yǐnqǐ le wùhuì) means his words caused a misunderstanding, even if he did not mean to.