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煽动 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
煽动shāndòngto inciteHSK 7, unknown, 20 strokes, rank #12950, Very Hard, formal, literary, transitive
煽动shāndòngto instigateHSK 7, unknown, 20 strokes, rank #12950, Very Hard
shāndòng(shan1dong4)shan dong T1
  1. 1to instigate
  2. 2to incite
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March 24, 2026

煽动(煽動)shāndòng(shan1dong4)

煽动 (shān dòng) means to incite or instigate, often in the context of stirring up emotions or actions among people. It is commonly used when discussing political movements, social unrest, or any actions that provoke strong reactions. The nuance of this word can imply a negative connotation, suggesting manipulation or undue influence.

Strokes20Frequency#12950DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In contemporary Chinese society, the word 煽动 is often associated with discussions around social movements and government responses. Historically, it has been a term used in political contexts to describe actions that challenge authority or promote dissent.

Memory tip

Imagine a fan (煽) blowing air, stirring up leaves (动) on the ground. Just as the fan incites movement, 煽动 incites action and emotion in people. The sound 'shan' in 'shān dòng' can remind you of a shan (fan) that causes things to move.

Meanings of 煽动

shāndòng(shan1dong4)
1to incite
2to instigate
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 煽动

煽动Simplified
煽動Traditional
20Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

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Podcast: 煽动

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AI study notes for 煽动

Quick Contrast

煽动 (shāndòng) vs 激励 (jīlì) — choose 煽动 for its connotation of incitement and manipulation, while 激励 conveys positive motivation and encouragement.

Usage Notes

Be careful with the connotation of 煽动, as it often carries a negative implication of manipulation or agitation. It is generally used in more formal contexts, especially in discussions about politics or social issues. Common collocations include 煽动群众 (incite the masses) and 煽动情绪 (stir up emotions).

HSK Study Tips

煽动 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, but understanding it can enhance your comprehension of political and social discussions in Mandarin. Focus on recognizing the context in which this word is used, alongside related terms like 激励 (jī lì, to encourage) which has a more positive connotation.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 煽动 with other words like 鼓励 (gǔ lì, to encourage), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我想煽动他去学习' (I want to incite him to study) is incorrect; the appropriate term here would be 鼓励.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 煽动

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Component characters

煽shānto stir up, to incite; to agitate, to provoke
14 strokes火
View full entry
动dòngto use
HSK 26 strokes力
View full entry

How to say to incite in Chinese

“to incite” in Chinese is煽动shāndòng

煽动 (shān dòng) means to incite or instigate, often in the context of stirring up emotions or actions among people. It is commonly used when discussing political movements, social unrest, or any actions that provoke strong reactions. The nuance of this word can imply a negative connotation, suggesting manipulation or undue influence.

When to use 煽动

Be careful with the connotation of 煽动, as it often carries a negative implication of manipulation or agitation. It is generally used in more formal contexts, especially in discussions about politics or social issues. Common collocations include 煽动群众 (incite the masses) and 煽动情绪 (stir up emotions).

煽动 or something close to it

煽动 (shāndòng) vs 激励 (jīlì) — choose 煽动 for its connotation of incitement and manipulation, while 激励 conveys positive motivation and encouragement.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 煽动 with other words like 鼓励 (gǔ lì, to encourage), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我想煽动他去学习' (I want to incite him to study) is incorrect; the appropriate term here would be 鼓励.

Write 煽动

煽
动

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Usage Notes for 煽动

Confusion with similar verbsCommon Error

Learners often confuse 煽动 with similar verbs like 激励 (jīlì) which means to encourage. 煽动 has a more negative connotation, implying instigation or incitement.

1

他在煽动群众,导致了冲突。

He was inciting the masses, leading to conflict.

Exercise 1 of 1

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

他在____群众,导致了冲突。

He was inciting the masses, leading to conflict.

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Cultural Notes for 煽动

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western contexts, incitement can sometimes be perceived as a form of free speech, while in China, it may be more heavily scrutinized, especially in relation to government stability.

Frequently asked questions about 煽动

Yes, some synonyms for 煽动 include 激励 (jī lì), which means to inspire or motivate, and 煽情 (shān qíng), which refers to stirring up emotions. However, the context of usage may vary, especially regarding the intensity of the actions described.

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