引子

yǐnzi
noun #45,379

Meanings

  1. 1 introduction; prologue
  2. 2 opening prelude
  3. 3 trigger (fig.)
  4. 4 drug vehicle (TCM)

Examples

Zhè duàn gùshi zhǐshì quán shū de yǐnzi.
This story is just the prologue to the whole book.
Zhōngyī kāi yào cháng jiā shēngjiāng zuò yǐnzi.
TCM prescriptions often add ginger as a drug vehicle.

Tips

usage
Three domains: literature (a prologue setting up the main story), everyday metaphor ('the 引子 that sparked the argument'), and TCM where 引子 is an inert carrier herb that guides the active medicine to the right meridian.

Stroke Order

yǐn