利诱 (lì yòu) — to lure (someone) by promising gain

Definition

Lure or tempt someone with the promise of profit, gain, or personal benefit. Often used for bribery, seduction, or moral testing contexts.

verb
to lure (someone) by promising gain

Examples

  • 利诱。
    Bù fǎ shāng rén yòng jīn qián lì yòu tā.
    Unscrupulous merchants lured him with money.
  • 利诱。
    Dí rén shì tú lì yòu tā tóu xiáng.
    The enemy tried to lure him into surrendering.
  • 利诱，。
    Miàn duì lì yòu, tā háo bú dòng yáo.
    Faced with the lure, he did not waver at all.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

利lìprofit
诱yòulure

利 (profit) describes how 诱 (lure) is done: lure by gain.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

利 combines 禾 (grain) and 刀 (knife), showing a knife used to cut grain.

Open 利 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 誘; 诱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánword, language
Sound part声符shēngfú
秀
秀xiù誘yòu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 誘 pairs 言 (word, language) with 秀, which supplies the sound.

Open 诱 →

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