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倡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
倡chàngto initiateHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 亻, Very Hard
倡chàngto instigateHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 亻, Very Hard
倡chàngto introduceHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 亻, Very Hard
倡chàngto leadHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 亻, Very Hard
倡chàngguide, leader; lead, introduceHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 亻, Very Hard
chàng(chang4)chang T4
  1. 1to initiate
  2. 2to instigate
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March 24, 2026

倡chàng(chang4)

The character 倡 (chàng) primarily means 'to initiate' or 'to lead.' It is commonly used in contexts where someone proposes an idea or action, often in a formal or organized setting, such as initiating a movement or leading a discussion. The nuance suggests a proactive role in guiding others toward a goal.

Strokes10Radical亻Frequency#3242DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, 倡 is often associated with social movements and collective actions, reflecting the importance of leadership in community initiatives. Historical figures who initiated reform movements are often described using this character.

Memory Tip

Imagine a leader at the front of a march, shouting 'Chant!' to rally the crowd. The character 倡 looks like a person with a big hat (亻) leading a group (倡) forward, symbolizing the act of initiating or guiding others.

Meanings of 倡

chàng(chang4)
1to initiate
2to instigate
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 倡 means.

About 倡

倡Simplified
10Strokes
亻Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 倡

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Podcast: 倡

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AI Study Notes for 倡

Quick Contrast

倡 (chàng) vs 提倡 (tíchàng) — use 倡 for initiating or leading an idea, while 提倡 emphasizes advocating or promoting that idea.

Usage Notes

This character is often used in formal contexts, so it may not be appropriate for casual conversation. Common collocations include 倡导 (chàng dǎo, to advocate) and 倡议 (chàng yì, to propose). Be careful with the tone; it should always be pronounced with a rising tone (chàng).

HSK Study Tips

Although 倡 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it is useful for learners at higher levels who are interested in formal Chinese. Focus on its usage in formal documents or speeches, and connect it with similar verbs like 领导 (lǐng dǎo, to lead) and 提出 (tí chū, to propose) to build vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 倡 with similar-sounding words. For instance, using it interchangeably with 促 (cù, to urge) is incorrect; instead, remember that 倡 emphasizes initiating or leading rather than merely encouraging.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 倡

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Etymology of 倡

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Someone 亻 who lights the way 昌; 昌 also provides the pronunciation

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

Origin

What kind of character is 倡?

Decomposition of 倡

IDS Structure⿰亻昌
倡Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
昌Chang1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 倡?

How to say to initiate in Chinese

“to initiate” in Chinese is倡chàng

The character 倡 (chàng) primarily means 'to initiate' or 'to lead.' It is commonly used in contexts where someone proposes an idea or action, often in a formal or organized setting, such as initiating a movement or leading a discussion. The nuance suggests a proactive role in guiding others toward a goal.

When to use 倡

This character is often used in formal contexts, so it may not be appropriate for casual conversation. Common collocations include 倡导 (chàng dǎo, to advocate) and 倡议 (chàng yì, to propose). Be careful with the tone; it should always be pronounced with a rising tone (chàng).

倡 or something close to it

倡 (chàng) vs 提倡 (tíchàng) — use 倡 for initiating or leading an idea, while 提倡 emphasizes advocating or promoting that idea.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 倡 with similar-sounding words. For instance, using it interchangeably with 促 (cù, to urge) is incorrect; instead, remember that 倡 emphasizes initiating or leading rather than merely encouraging.

Write 倡

倡

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

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Grammar Patterns of 倡

倡 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 5 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.

和平____导者可能不被大部分英国人认同。

The peace campaigners were probably out of tune with most Britons.

Example Sentences for 倡 (2)

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1
和平倡导者可能不被大部分英国人认同。

hé píng chàng dǎo zhě kě néng bù bèi dà bù fēn yīng guó rén rèn tóng。

The peace campaigners were probably out of tune with most Britons.
2
他提倡把学生按能力分班,因需施教。

tā tí chàng bǎ xué shēng àn néng lì fēn bān, , yīn xū shī。

He advocates streaming children, and educating them according to their needs.

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Word Family of 倡

Words Containing This Character12
提倡tíchàngto promote
倡导chàngdǎoto advocate倡導
倡议chàngyìto suggest倡議
倡导者proponent倡導者
反腐倡廉to fight corruption and advocate probity
倡议书written proposal倡議書
倡chàngto initiate
首倡to initiate
倡言to propose
提倡者proponent
倡始to initiate
倡言者proposer
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 倡

What does 提倡 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 倡

倡导 (chàng dǎo) means to advocate or promote an idea, while 倡议 (chàng yì) refers specifically to proposing an idea or suggestion.

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