引 (yǐn): to draw

Meanings

1 to draw
2 to pull
3 to lead
4 to quote
5 to cause

Characters

引

yǐn

to draw; to lead; to quote

Originally depicted pulling a bowstring — to draw or pull

Examples

这件事引起了大家的注意。

Zhè jiàn shì yǐnqǐ le dàjiā de zhùyì.

This matter drew everyone's attention.

他引用了一句名言。

Tā yǐnyòng le yí jù míngyán.

He quoted a famous saying.

不要引狼入室。

Búyào yǐnlángrùshì.

Don't invite trouble (lit. lead the wolf into the house).

Tips

usage

引 is a building block for many words: 引起 (cause), 引导 (guide), 引进 (introduce, import), 引用 (quote), 吸引 (attract).

Components

radical

弓 gōng

bow (weapon)

Left bow radical 弓 — pictograph of a curved hunting bow. Anchors 引 in the archery family alongside 张 (draw a bow), 弱 (weak bow), 弟. The bow is what does the pulling: drawing the string back was the original action behind 引.

ideograph

丨 gǔn

vertical stroke (drawn bowstring)

Right vertical — the bowstring pulled back to full draw, or the arrow nocked alongside it. Acts as a positional indicator: it is not a freestanding character but a visible mark of the pulling action. Together 弓 + 丨 = 'drawing the bow', from which came 'to lead, to pull, to quote'.