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) T3
1to provoke
2to irritate
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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
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 惹
惹Simplified
12Strokes
心Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#1377Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 惹
Podcast: 惹
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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
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Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 若 represents the sound.
1The meaning half心 carries the sense.
2The sound half若 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 惹? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 惹?
Decomposition of 惹
IDS Structure⿱若心
惹Full Character
=
若ruo4
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component 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
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Practice writing 惹 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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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.
