Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
惹 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
惹
rě
to provoke
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 心, rank #1377, Very Hard
惹
rě
to irritate
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 心, rank #1377, Very Hard
惹
rě
to vex
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 心, rank #1377, Very Hard
惹
rě
to stir up
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 心, rank #1377, Very Hard
惹
rě
to anger
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 心, rank #1377, Very Hard
惹
rě
to attract (troubles)
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 心, rank #1377, Very Hard
惹
rě
to cause (problems)
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 心, rank #1377, Very Hard
惹
rě
to incite, to irritate, to offend, to vex
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 心, rank #1377, Very Hard
rě(re3)re T3
1to provoke
2to irritate
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
惹rě(re3)
The character 惹 (rě) means to provoke or irritate someone. It is commonly used in contexts where someone's actions or words have stirred up trouble or caused annoyance. This term can also imply attracting problems or inciting negative reactions from others.
Strokes12Radical心Frequency#1377DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, causing someone to feel '惹怒' (rě nù, provoked anger) can lead to significant social consequences, such as loss of face or strained relationships, emphasizing the importance of harmony.
Memory tip
Imagine a small child (the character's left side resembles a child) poking a sleeping bear (the right side resembles the action of stirring). This child is trying to 'provoke' the bear, which represents the meaning of 惹. The pronunciation 'rě' sounds like 'rare', as in rare situations that provoke significant reactions.
Meanings of 惹
rě(re3)
1to provoke
2to irritate
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 惹 means.
About 惹
惹Simplified
12Strokes
心Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#1377Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 惹
Podcast: 惹
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 惹
Quick Contrast
惹 (rě) vs 激 (jī) — use 惹 when implying annoyance or irritation caused to someone, while 激 conveys a sense of excitement or intensity.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 惹 with similar verbs like 激 (jī, to excite) or 引 (yǐn, to draw). It is more informal and often used in spoken language. Pay attention to the context: 惹 is typically used when discussing irritation rather than serious conflict.
HSK Study Tips
Although 惹 is not in the HSK lists, understanding it can help learners with verbs related to emotions and reactions. Focus on recognizing it in conversational contexts, and practice using it in sentences describing personal experiences of irritation.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes use 惹 to imply 'to attract' in a neutral sense, which is incorrect. For example, saying '她惹了很多朋友' (Tā rěle hěnduō péngyǒu) is wrong; instead, use '她吸引了很多朋友' (Tā xīyǐnle hěnduō péngyǒu) which means 'She attracted many friends.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 惹
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 惹, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 惹 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 惹?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 惹 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
惹 = 心 + 若. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 惹
IDS Structure⿱若心
惹Full character
=
若ruo4
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 惹?
How to say to provoke in Chinese
“to provoke” in Chinese is惹rě
The character 惹 (rě) means to provoke or irritate someone. It is commonly used in contexts where someone's actions or words have stirred up trouble or caused annoyance. This term can also imply attracting problems or inciting negative reactions from others.
When to use 惹
Learners often confuse 惹 with similar verbs like 激 (jī, to excite) or 引 (yǐn, to draw). It is more informal and often used in spoken language. Pay attention to the context: 惹 is typically used when discussing irritation rather than serious conflict.
惹 or something close to it
惹 (rě) vs 激 (jī) — use 惹 when implying annoyance or irritation caused to someone, while 激 conveys a sense of excitement or intensity.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes use 惹 to imply 'to attract' in a neutral sense, which is incorrect. For example, saying '她惹了很多朋友' (Tā rěle hěnduō péngyǒu) is wrong; instead, use '她吸引了很多朋友' (Tā xīyǐnle hěnduō péngyǒu) which means 'She attracted many friends.'
Write 惹
惹
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 惹 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 惹
惹 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 8 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.
