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卷入 (juǎn rù) — to be drawn into (a negative situation), to get involved in (a dispute, scandal, etc.)

Definition

卷入 means being pulled into something negative (a scandal, dispute, conflict) against one's will. Stronger and more passive than 介入 ('choose to step in'); closer to 牵涉 but emphasizes the subject as a victim dragged in.

verb
to be drawn into (a negative situation)to get involved in (a dispute, scandal, etc.)

Examples

  • 卷入。
    Tā bèi juǎn rù le yì qǐ jīn róng zhà piàn àn.
    He was drawn into a financial fraud case.
  • 卷入。
    Wǒ bù xiǎng juǎn rù zhè zhǒng wú liáo de zhēng lùn.
    I don't want to get involved in this kind of pointless argument.
  • 卷入。
    Zhè chǎng fēng bō juǎn rù le bù shǎo wú gū de rén.
    This upheaval dragged many innocent people into it.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

卷juànsweep up
入rùinto

卷 suggests being swept or rolled up, and 入 points into, giving the sense of being drawn into a situation.

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
卩卩jiékneeling person
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢍏
𢍏𢍏卷juàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 卷, 卩 shows a kneeling person, while 𢍏 gives the sound and may also suggest bending or rolling, as in a reel of books.

Open 卷 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

入 is drawn as an arrowhead, indicating 'to enter'.

Open 入 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Conflict & Agreement

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