启发

• Pinyin: qǐ fā
• Hanzi breakdown: 启 = 户 (door) + 口 (mouth), to open/enlighten; 发 = simplified from 發, to send out/develop

Meaning

To inspire; to enlighten; inspiration. Helping someone understand through guidance rather than direct teaching.

Can be a verb (启发学生 inspire students) or noun (受到启发 receive inspiration). Emphasizes indirect guidance that leads to understanding, not direct instruction. Related: 启发式教学 (heuristic teaching), 很有启发性 (very inspiring/thought-provoking).

Examples

1. 这本书给了我很大的启发。 This book gave me great inspiration.
2. 好的老师懂得如何启发学生独立思考。 Good teachers know how to inspire students to think independently.
3. 他的演讲让我受到很大启发。 His speech was very inspiring to me.

Usage Guide

Context: education, intellectual discussion, creativity

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 你的话对我很有启发。(What you said was very inspiring to me.)
• 这部电影启发了我的创作灵感。(This film inspired my creative ideas.)

Don't Say

• 他启发我答案。(启发 means guiding to understanding, not giving answers — use 告诉 instead)

Origin & History

启 (qǐ, to open/enlighten) + 发 (fā, to emit/develop). To open up and develop understanding.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal