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誘 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
誘yòuto tempt, to persuade, to entice; guidex, 14 strokes, radical 言
yòu(you4) T4
  1. 1to tempt, to persuade, to entice; guide
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March 24, 2026

誘yòu(you4)

The character 誘 (yòu) means to tempt, persuade, or entice someone to do something. It is often used in contexts where someone is being lured or encouraged to take an action, sometimes implying a sense of seduction or manipulation. This word can also relate to guiding someone in a more positive or supportive manner.

Strokes14Radical言
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of persuasion often relates to social harmony and indirect communication, where subtlety and nuance are valued over direct confrontation. Understanding how to entice or persuade is important in both personal and business relationships.

Memory Tip

Think of 誘 (yòu) as a 'yowl' that entices someone closer. The left part of the character, 言 (yán), relates to speech, suggesting persuasion through words, while the right part, 由 (yóu), can be imagined as a path or way, symbolizing guidance.

Meanings of 誘

yòu(you4)
1to tempt, to persuade, to entice; guide
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 誘

誘Simplified
14Strokes
言Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 誘

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Podcast: 誘

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AI Study Notes for 誘

Quick Contrast

引 (yǐn) — use 誘 (yòu) when the action involves a degree of temptation or persuasion, while 引 (yǐn) is more about leading or drawing someone towards something without the implication of seduction.

Usage Notes

This word can carry both positive and negative connotations depending on the context. Avoid using it in overly formal situations as it might come off as manipulative. Common collocations include 誘惑 (yòuhuò - temptation) and 誘導 (yòudǎo - guidance).

HSK Study Tips

Although 誘 is not included in the official HSK levels, it is useful to understand for intermediate learners due to its relation with persuasion and influence. Students should also explore related words like 誘惑 and 誘導 to expand their vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 誘 (yòu) with 勸 (quàn), which means to advise or persuade in a more positive sense. For instance, saying '我勸他不要去' (Wǒ quàn tā bùyào qù - I advise him not to go) is different from saying '我誘他去' (Wǒ yòu tā qù - I tempt him to go), which implies a more manipulative intent.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 誘

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Etymology of 誘

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

To use elegant 秀 words 言; 秀 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 誘?

Decomposition of 誘

IDS Structure⿰言秀
誘Full Character
=
言yan2
left
秀xiu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 誘?

How to say to tempt, to persuade, to entice; guide in Chinese

“to tempt, to persuade, to entice; guide” in Chinese is誘yòu

The character 誘 (yòu) means to tempt, persuade, or entice someone to do something. It is often used in contexts where someone is being lured or encouraged to take an action, sometimes implying a sense of seduction or manipulation. This word can also relate to guiding someone in a more positive or supportive manner.

When to use 誘

This word can carry both positive and negative connotations depending on the context. Avoid using it in overly formal situations as it might come off as manipulative. Common collocations include 誘惑 (yòuhuò - temptation) and 誘導 (yòudǎo - guidance).

誘 or something close to it

引 (yǐn) — use 誘 (yòu) when the action involves a degree of temptation or persuasion, while 引 (yǐn) is more about leading or drawing someone towards something without the implication of seduction.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 誘 (yòu) with 勸 (quàn), which means to advise or persuade in a more positive sense. For instance, saying '我勸他不要去' (Wǒ quàn tā bùyào qù - I advise him not to go) is different from saying '我誘他去' (Wǒ yòu tā qù - I tempt him to go), which implies a more manipulative intent.

Write 誘

誘

Practice writing 誘 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 誘

Words Containing This Character20
诱惑yòuhuòto entice誘惑
诱人yòurénattractive誘人
引诱yǐnyòuto seduce引誘
诱导to induce誘導
诱饵yòu’ěrbait誘餌
诱发yòufāto induce誘發
诱yòuto entice誘
诱拐to abduct誘拐
诱因cause誘因
诱骗to entice誘騙
诱使to lure into誘使
诱捕to trap誘捕
利诱to use gain as a lure利誘
循循善诱to guide patiently and systematically (idiom)循循善誘
诱奸to seduce (into sex)誘姦
威逼利诱to make threats and promises威逼利誘
劝诱to coax勸誘
诱变剂mutagen誘變劑
招诱to invite招誘
诱拐者abductor誘拐者
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 誘

What does 诱惑 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 誘

It can be used both positively, as in guiding someone, or negatively, as in tempting someone to do something undesirable.

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