Meaning of 提起
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to mention; to bring up
- (lit. and fig.) to lift; to raise
- to initiate (legal proceedings)
How to use 提起
In everyday speech 提起 usually means to mention or bring up a person or topic, often in patterns like 一提起… (whenever ... is mentioned). It can also mean physically lifting something, and in formal writing 提起诉讼 means to file a lawsuit. Example: 他很少提起他的家人。(Tā hěn shǎo tíqǐ tā de jiārén.) He rarely mentions his family.
提 (tí) has the hand radical 扌, so picture a hand lifting something, and 起 (qǐ) means to rise. When you lift a topic up out of silence so everyone can see it, you have brought it up.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 提起 with 想起 (xiǎngqǐ). 提起 means to say something out loud to others, while 想起 means to recall it in your own mind. Also watch the tone: 提 is second tone tí, not first tone tī.
提起 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.
提 tí · to carry · 12 strokes
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起 qǐ · to rise · 10 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 提起.
| 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 |
| 提到 | tídào | to mention; to raise (a subject) |
| 提出 | tíchū | to raise (an issue); to propose |
| 起飞 | qǐfēi | (of an aircraft or rocket) to take off; to lift off; (fig.) (of an enterprise etc) to star |
| 提高 | tígāo | to raise; to increase |
| 看起来 | kàn qǐlái | seemingly; apparently; looks as if; appears to be; gives the impression that; seems on the |
| 提前 | tíqián | to shift to an earlier date; to do sth ahead of time |
| 提问 | tíwèn | to question; to quiz; to grill |
Questions about 提起
What does 提起 mean?
提起 (tíqǐ) means "to mention; to bring up; (lit. and fig.) to lift; to raise" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 提起?
提起 is made of 2 characters: 提 (12 strokes), 起 (10 strokes). That is 22 strokes in total.
Is 提起 an HSK word?
Yes. 提起 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 提起 and 提到?
Both can mean to mention, and they often swap freely. 提到 (tídào) focuses on the topic being reached in speech or writing, such as 文章里提到了他 (the article mentions him). 提起 more often suggests bringing up a subject, sometimes one with emotion attached, as in 一提起这件事他就生气 (he gets angry whenever this comes up).
Can 提起 be used with 精神 or 兴趣?
Yes. 提起精神 (tíqǐ jīngshen) means to pull yourself together or perk up, and 提起兴趣 means to arouse interest. Here the lifting sense is figurative, raising your energy or attention.