劝

• Pinyin: quàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 劝 = simplified from 勸 = 雚 (phonetic) + 力 (power), to persuade

Meaning

To persuade; to advise; to urge. Trying to convince someone to do or not do something.

Common collocations: 劝说 (persuade), 劝阻 (dissuade), 劝解 (mediate), 劝酒 (urge someone to drink). Implies good intentions, wanting what's best for the person.

Examples

1. 朋友们都劝他不要冲动。 Friends all advised him not to act impulsively.
2. 医生劝他戒烟，但他总是戒不了。 The doctor advised him to quit smoking, but he could never do it.
3. 她怎么劝都劝不住他。 No matter how she tried to persuade him, she couldn't stop him.

Usage Guide

Context: advice, relationships, concern

Tone: caring

Do Say

• 我劝你还是算了吧。(I advise you to just let it go.)
• 他听劝。(He listens to advice.)

Don't Say

• 我劝你必须做这个。(劝 implies gentle advice, not commands — use 要求 for demands)

Origin & History

力 (power) + 雚 (heron, phonetic). Originally meant to encourage/exhort, now primarily means to persuade.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal