刺激 (cì jī) — (verb) to stimulate, to excite, to provoke, or to irritate; (noun) a stimulus; excitement or irritation

Definition

刺激 covers both sides: a noun for a 'stimulus / irritation', and a verb for 'to stimulate or to provoke/irritate'. Compared to 惹 (deliberately cause trouble) and 激动 (an emotional state), 刺激 is more neutral and can be physical, emotional, or economic.

verb
to stimulateto exciteto provokeor to irritate
noun
a stimulusexcitement or irritation

Examples

  • 刺激。
    Tīng yīn yuè néng cì jī wǒ de xīn qíng.
    Listening to music can stimulate my mood.
  • 刺激。
    Tā de huà cì jī le suǒ yǒu rén.
    His words upset everyone.
  • 刺激。
    Zhè zhǒng cì jī ràng wǒ hěn bù shū fu.
    This kind of irritation makes me very uncomfortable.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

刺cìprick
激jīexcite

刺 is a sharp prick and 激 a strong excitation; together they mean to provoke or stimulate.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刂Written in full as刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
朿
朿cì刺cì
Same sound today

刺 pairs 刂 (knife) with 朿, which gives the sound; the knife part fits actions like stabbing or pricking.

Open 刺 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
敫
敫jiǎo激jī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 激, the 氵 side marks water, and 敫 gives the sound jiǎo; the original sense is water swashing.

Open 激 →
Appears in
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