挑衅

挑釁

tiǎoxìn

verb HSK 7 #8,157

Meanings

1 to provoke
2 to challenge aggressively
3 provocation

Characters

to provoke; to pick

quarrel; dispute; crack

Examples

他的行为是一种挑衅。

Tā de xíngwéi shì yī zhǒng tiǎoxìn.

His behavior was a provocation.

不要挑衅比你强壮的人。

Bùyào tiǎoxìn bǐ nǐ qiángzhuàng de rén.

Do not provoke someone stronger than you.

Tips

usage

挑衅 is stronger and more aggressive than 挑起. It implies deliberately antagonizing someone to start a conflict.

memory

挑 (to pick/provoke) + 衅 (quarrel/crack) = picking a fight through provocation.

Stroke Order

挑 tiāo

衅 xìn