呼吁

• Pinyin: hū yù
• Hanzi breakdown: 呼 = 口 (mouth) + 乎 (phonetic) — to call out; 吁 = 口 (mouth) + 于 (phonetic) — to sigh; to call out urgently

Meaning

To appeal; to call upon; to urge. Making a public or formal appeal for action, change, or attention to an issue.

A formal term for public appeals — issued by individuals, organisations, governments, or movements. Common in journalism, political discourse, and advocacy. 发出呼吁 (to issue an appeal) and 强烈呼吁 (to strongly urge) are standard collocations.

Examples

1. 联合国秘书长向全球各国领导人发出强烈呼吁，要求立即停止武装冲突，保护平民生命安全。 The UN Secretary-General issued a strong appeal to leaders around the world, demanding an immediate end to armed conflict and the protection of civilian lives.
2. 环保团体呼吁市民减少一次性塑料制品的使用，共同为改善城市生态环境做出贡献。 Environmental groups are urging residents to reduce the use of single-use plastics and work together to improve the city’s ecological environment.
3. 专家们呼吁将心理健康问题纳入公共卫生政策体系，给予应有的重视与资源投入。 Experts are calling for mental health to be included in public health policy and given the attention and resources it deserves.

Usage Guide

Context: journalism, politics, advocacy, international affairs, social issues

Tone: solemn

Do Say

• 多国科学家联名发表公开信，呼吁各国政府在即将召开的气候峰会上就碳减排目标做出具有法律约束力的承诺。(Scientists from multiple countries jointly published an open letter, appealing to governments to make legally binding commitments on carbon reduction targets at the forthcoming climate summit.)
• 这位著名作家在颁奖典礼上动情地呼吁社会各界关注流动儿童的教育权利，引发了广泛的媒体报道和公众讨论。(This renowned author made an emotional appeal at the award ceremony for society at large to pay attention to the educational rights of migrant children, sparking extensive media coverage and public discussion.)

Don't Say

• 呼吁 in private or one-on-one communication — it implies a public-facing appeal directed at a wider audience; for personal requests use 请求 or 劝说

Origin & History

呼 (call out; cry) + 吁 (sigh; call out urgently) — to urgently call out for something; a public appeal

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal