Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
诱 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
诱yòuto enticev, 9 strokes, radical 讠, rank #14093, Hard
诱yòuto temptv, 9 strokes, radical 讠, rank #14093, Hard
诱yòuto tempt, to persuade, to entice; guidev, 9 strokes, radical 讠, rank #14093, Hard
yòu(you4) T4
  1. 1to entice
  2. 2to tempt
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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#14093DifficultyHard
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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 诱

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

Podcast: 诱

JasonAmy

Podcast: 诱

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

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.

Memory Mnemonic

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!'

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.

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.

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

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 诱 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 诱?

Decomposition of 诱

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

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 诱?

Write 诱

诱

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

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.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

任谁都无法抗拒这种____惑。

Nobody can resist this kind of temptation.

Example Sentences for 诱 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
空气中充满诱人的烤牛肉香味。

kōng qì zhōng chōng mǎn yòu rén de kǎo niú ròu xiāng wèi。

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 guò mǐn shì xiào chuǎn bìng fā zuò zuì cháng jiàn de yòu yīn zhī yī。

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 jiāo yì kàn shàng qù tài yòu rén le， ， yào shì jù jué tā jiǎn zhí shì xiào。

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 shēng chēng bèi gào shì bèi yòu piàn de， ， cóng ér tuī fān le yǒu zuì de pàn。

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 yòu rén de dài lòu tiān yáng tái de fàn guǎn。

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 wèn tí。

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

nǎi lào shì yǐn yòu lǎo shǔ shàng gōu de jí hǎo de dōng xī.

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 tóng yì gān nà jiàn huó ér。

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

nǐ gāng cái 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 gēn běn shàng shuō， ， diàn shì jié mù jiù shì xī yǐn guān zhòng kàn guǎng gào de yòu。

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

Cultural Notes for 诱

🏮Cultural insight

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.

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to induce誘導
诱饵yòu’ěrbait誘餌
诱发yòufāto induce誘發
诱yòuto entice誘
诱拐to abduct誘拐
诱因cause誘因
诱骗to entice誘騙
诱使to lure into誘使
诱捕to trap誘捕
利诱to use gain as a lure利誘
循循善诱to guide patiently and systematically (idiom)循循善誘
诱奸to seduce (into sex)誘姦
威逼利诱to make threats and promises威逼利誘
劝诱to coax勸誘
诱变剂mutagen誘變劑
招诱to invite招誘
诱拐者abductor誘拐者
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

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.