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诱 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
诱yòuto enticev, 9 strokes, radical 讠, rank #14093, Very Hard
诱yòuto temptv, 9 strokes, radical 讠, rank #14093, Very Hard
诱yòuto tempt, to persuade, to entice; guidev, 9 strokes, radical 讠, rank #14093, Very Hard
yòu(you4)you T4
  1. 1to entice
  2. 2to tempt
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March 24, 2026

诱(誘)yòu(you4)

The character 诱 (yòu) means to entice or tempt someone into doing something, often by appealing to their desires or interests. It is commonly used in contexts involving persuasion, such as marketing or negotiations, and can carry a slightly negative connotation when it involves trickery or manipulation.

Strokes9Radical讠Frequency#14093DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of temptation is often explored in literature and folklore, where characters are frequently faced with moral dilemmas influenced by enticing offers, highlighting the importance of self-control and virtue.

Memory tip

Imagine a magician (the radical 诱 resembles a magician's wand) enticing an audience with an irresistible trick. The 'yòu' sound can remind you of 'you,' as in 'I want to entice you with this magic show!'

Meanings of 诱

yòu(you4)
1to entice
2to tempt
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 诱

诱Simplified
誘Traditional
9Strokes
讠Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#14093Frequency Rank

Podcast: 诱

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Podcast: 诱

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AI study notes for 诱

Quick Contrast

引 (yǐn) - use 诱 (yòu) when the focus is on enticing or tempting someone, while 引 (yǐn) emphasizes leading or guiding someone towards a certain action or place.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 诱 with similar sounding words that do not have the same meaning, such as '友' (yǒu), meaning friend. This word is typically used in informal contexts, but can also appear in formal discussions, especially in marketing or psychological contexts.

HSK Study Tips

Although 诱 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with related terms like '诱惑' (yòuhuò), meaning temptation. Focus on the nuances of persuasion and temptation as they relate to interpersonal communication.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 诱 with 友 (yǒu), leading to incorrect usage such as saying '我诱我的朋友' (wǒ yòu wǒ de péngyǒu) when they mean 'I want to entice my friend.' The correct phrase should specify the context of temptation or persuasion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 诱

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Etymology of 诱

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

To use elegant 秀 words 讠; 秀 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 诱?

Decomposition of 诱

IDS Structure⿰讠秀
诱Full character
=
讠yan2
left
秀xiu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 诱?

How to say to entice in Chinese

“to entice” in Chinese is诱yòu

The character 诱 (yòu) means to entice or tempt someone into doing something, often by appealing to their desires or interests. It is commonly used in contexts involving persuasion, such as marketing or negotiations, and can carry a slightly negative connotation when it involves trickery or manipulation.

When to use 诱

Be careful not to confuse 诱 with similar sounding words that do not have the same meaning, such as '友' (yǒu), meaning friend. This word is typically used in informal contexts, but can also appear in formal discussions, especially in marketing or psychological contexts.

诱 or something close to it

引 (yǐn) - use 诱 (yòu) when the focus is on enticing or tempting someone, while 引 (yǐn) emphasizes leading or guiding someone towards a certain action or place.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 诱 with 友 (yǒu), leading to incorrect usage such as saying '我诱我的朋友' (wǒ yòu wǒ de péngyǒu) when they mean 'I want to entice my friend.' The correct phrase should specify the context of temptation or persuasion.

Write 诱

诱

Practice writing 诱 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 诱

诱 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 2

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

任谁都无法抗拒这种____惑。

Nobody can resist this kind of temptation.

Example sentences for 诱 (10)

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1
空气中充满诱人的烤牛肉香味。

kōngqì zhōng chōngmǎn yòurén de kǎo niúròu xiāngwèi。

A tantalising aroma of roast beef fills the air.
2
对猫类过敏是哮喘病发作最常见的诱因之一。

duì māo lèi guòmǐn shì xiāo chuǎn bìng fāzuò zuì chángjiàn de yòu yīn zhīyī。

Allergy to cats is one of the commonest causes of asthma.
3
这笔交易看上去太诱人了,要是拒绝它简直是笑话。

zhè bǐ jiāoyì kànshangqu tài yòurén le, yàoshi jùjué tā jiǎnzhí shì xiàohua。

The deal seems so attractive it would be ridiculous to say no.
4
他声称被告是被诱骗的,从而推翻了有罪的判决。

tā shēngchēng bèigào shì bèi yòu piàn de, cóng’ér tuīfān le yǒu zuì de pànjué。

He overturned the conviction, saying the defendant was entrapped.
5
有一家诱人的带露天阳台的饭馆。

yǒu yī jiā yòurén de dài lùtiān yángtái de fànguǎn。

There is an inviting restaurant with an outdoor terrace.
6
这是个诱导性的问题。

zhè shì gè yòu dǎo xìng de wèntí。

That's a loaded question.
7
奶酪是引诱老鼠上钩的极好的东西.

nǎilào shì yǐnyòu lǎoshǔ shàng gōu de jí hǎode dōngxi.

Cheese is very good for luring a mouse into a trap.
8
他诱骗我同意干那件活儿。

tā yòu piàn wǒ tóngyì gān nà jiàn huór。

He cajoled me into agreeing to do the work.
9
你刚才是想诱使她供认吗?

nǐ gāngcái shì xiǎng yòu shǐ tā gōng rèn ma?

Were you just trying to trap her into making some admission?
10
从根本上说,电视节目就是吸引观众看广告的诱饵。

cóng gēnběn shàng shuō, diànshì jiémù jiùshì xīyǐn guānzhòng kàn guǎnggào de yòu’ěr。

Television programmes are essentially bait to attract an audience for advertisements.

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Word Family of 诱

Words containing this character20
诱惑yòuhuòto entice誘惑
诱人yòurénattractive誘人
引诱yǐnyòuto seduce引誘
诱导yòudǎoto induce誘導
诱饵yòu’ěrbait誘餌
诱发yòufāto induce誘發
诱yòuto entice誘
诱拐yòuguǎito abduct誘拐
诱因yòuyīncause誘因
诱骗yòupiànto entice誘騙
诱使yòushǐto lure into誘使
诱捕yòubǔto trap誘捕
利诱lìyòuto use gain as a lure利誘
循循善诱xúnxúnshànyòuto guide patiently and systematically (idiom)循循善誘
诱奸yòujiānto seduce (into sex)誘姦
威逼利诱wēibīlìyòuto make threats and promises威逼利誘
劝诱quànyòuto coax勸誘
诱变剂yòubiànjìmutagen誘變劑
招诱zhāoyòuto invite招誘
诱拐者yòuguǎizhěabductor誘拐者
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 诱

What does 诱惑 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 诱

Some common phrases include '诱惑' (yòuhuò), meaning temptation, and '诱导' (yòudǎo), meaning to guide or induce.

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