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鞭策 (biān cè) — to spur on, to urge on (especially toward self-improvement or progress)

Definition

鞭策 means to spur yourself or others on toward self-improvement — it focuses on internal drive and progress, stronger than 激励 (general encouragement) and more self-directed than 督促 (pushing someone to finish a task).

verb
to spur onto urge on (especially toward self-improvement or progress)

Examples

  • 鞭策。
    Tā yì zhí yòng yuǎn dà de lǐ xiǎng biān cè zì jǐ.
    He has always spurred himself on with lofty ideals.
  • 鞭策。
    Lǎo shī de huà duì tā lái shuō shì yì zhǒng biān cè.
    The teacher's words were a kind of spur to him.
  • 鞭策。
    Nǐ yào xué huì yòng yā lì biān cè zì jǐ bú duàn jìn bù.
    You must learn to use pressure to spur yourself to keep improving.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

鞭biānwhip
策cèspur

Both parts refer to a whip or spur, together indicating urging someone onward.

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
革革géleather
Sound part声符shēngfú
便
便biàn鞭biān
Same sound today

鞭 pairs 革, meaning leather, with 便, which gives the sound.

Open 鞭 →

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
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
朿
朿cì策cè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

策 pairs 竹 (bamboo) with 朿 as a sound part.

Open 策 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract ConceptsWill & Intention

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