掀起

• Pinyin: xiān qǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 掀 = 扌+ 欣 (hand + phonetic — to lift); 起 = 走 + 己 (to walk + self — rising into motion)

Meaning

To lift up; to stir up; to set off; to trigger. Used both literally (to physically lift or heave something up) and figuratively (to set off a wave, trend, movement, or storm of activity).

The figurative use is dominant in modern formal and media language: 掀起热潮 (to set off a craze), 掀起风波 (to stir up controversy), 掀起运动 (to launch a movement). The image is of lifting or heaving something large into motion — suggesting scale and momentum. Frequently appears in political, cultural, and business discourse.

Examples

1. 这项改革措施的出台在教育界掀起了一场关于课程设置与教学方式的深度讨论。 The rollout of this reform measure set off a deep discussion in the education community about curriculum design and teaching methods.
2. 这位艺术家的展览在国际上掀起了一股重新审视东方美学的文化热潮。 The artist’s exhibition sparked an international wave of renewed interest in Eastern aesthetics.
3. 一场突如其来的舆论风波在社交媒体上被迅速掀起，数小时内便引发了数百万条相关评论。 A sudden storm of online opinion was quickly stirred up on social media, triggering millions of related comments within hours.

Usage Guide

Context: media, politics, culture, business

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 人工智能商业化在全球掀起新一轮战略竞赛，各大科技巨头都在加码大模型、算力和生态建设。(The commercialisation of artificial intelligence has sparked a new round of strategic competition worldwide, and major tech giants are all increasing investment in large models, computing power, and ecosystem building.)
• 这部纪录片播出后在国内外掀起热议，尤其对传统手工艺传承危机的记录，引发了对非遗保护的再讨论。(After this documentary aired, it sparked heated discussion at home and abroad. Its record of the crisis in traditional craft inheritance especially led to renewed discussion of protecting intangible cultural heritage.)

Don't Say

• 掀起 for small-scale or private reactions — it implies a large wave or widespread momentum; use 引发 or 触发 for smaller-scale causes and effects in everyday contexts

Origin & History

掀 (to lift) + 起 (up, to rise — 走 + 己, movement upward)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal