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启发 (qǐ fā) — to enlighten, to inspire, to stimulate (thinking or ideas)

Definition

启发 means to spark or stimulate thinking in someone — a teacher, a book, an event triggers new ideas. 比 激励/鼓舞 (which boost morale or courage) more about the intellect; 比 启示 (the lesson itself) focuses on the act of inspiring.

verb
to enlightento inspireto stimulate (thinking or ideas)

Examples

  • 启发。
    Lǎo shī de tí wèn qǐ fā le wǒ men de sī kǎo.
    The teacher's question stimulated our thinking.
  • 启发。
    Zhè ge shí yàn qǐ fā le wǒ xīn de xiǎng fǎ.
    This experiment inspired new ideas in me.
  • 启发。
    Tā de gù shi qǐ fā le hěn duō rén.
    His story inspired many people.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

启qǐopen/awaken
发fābring out

启 (open/awaken) and 发 (bring out) together mean opening up thinking or ideas.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 啟; 启 is its simplified writing.

For 启, the traditional form 啟 comes from an earlier shape with 戶 (door) and 又 (hand), showing a hand opening a door.

Open 启 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 5Thinking & Cognition

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