诱惑 (yòu huò) — (verb) to tempt, to lure, to entice; (noun) tem… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A neutral-to-soft word for 'tempt / temptation' — the pull toward something appealing, not necessarily bad. Compared with 引诱 (luring into wrongdoing) and 诱发 (triggering a reaction), 诱惑 names the attraction itself.

verb

to temptto lureto entice

noun

temptationlure

Examples

诱惑。
Piào liang de wài biǎo kě néng yòu huò rén zuò chū cuò wù de xuǎn zé.
A beautiful appearance may tempt people into making wrong choices.
诱惑，。
Tā miàn duì jīn qián de yòu huò, xuǎn zé le jù jué.
Facing the temptation of money, he chose to refuse.
诱惑。
Zhè ge chéng shì de fán huá duì nián qīng rén chōng mǎn yòu huò.
The city's prosperity is full of temptation for young 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.

惑huòconfuse; bewitch

诱 suggests luring, and 惑 suggests confusing, together giving the sense of tempting.

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.

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

言秀誘

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.

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

或心惑

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

或

或huò惑huò

Same sound today

惑 uses 或 for the sound and 心, the heart, for the meaning.

Appears in

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