Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 引用 | yǐnyòng |
| 引語 / 引语 | yǐnyǔ |
| 引文 | yǐnwén |
In Chinese, the term used depends on whether you are referring to the act of quoting or the specific text being cited. The term 引用 is used for 'to quote' or as a noun referring to the act of quoting, and it is often used for quotes in written texts. If you are referring to a famous quote or saying, you might use 名言. For famous quotes or phrases in a literary or poetic context, use 名句. For a concise motto or maxim, use 格言.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 引用 is composed of 引, meaning 'to lead/cite' and 用, meaning 'to use', literally meaning 'to cite and use'.
Which one should you use?
While 引用 is used as a verb meaning 'to quote' or a noun referring to the act of quoting, the other forms focus on the content of the quote itself. 引语 (or 引語) specifically refers to the spoken or written words that are being quoted, often used in a linguistic or grammatical context. 引文 is used when referring to a written passage or a piece of text taken from a source, rather than spoken words.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
yǐnyòng
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers should not use 引用 when they mean a 'price quote'. They must use 报价 instead.
Did you know?
- While 引用 is the standard term for quoting, Chinese scholars often use the phrase 拈古 to describe quoting ancient texts, which literally means 'picking up the ancient'.
- In modern internet slang, users often avoid formal terms like 引用 and instead use '截图' meaning 'screenshot' to share quotes from social media conversations.
- The word 引用 can be used as a verb to mean 'to invoke' a law or regulation, moving beyond the context of speech or literature into legal application.
Examples in context
- 这个引用出自哪里？Where does this quote come from?This sentence is useful for asking about the source of a 引用.Tatoeba #12422317 by jkyochen, translation #10739367 by Cabo
- 你中文真好，都能引用俗语了。Your Chinese is so good, you can quote proverbs.This sentence demonstrates using 引用 to talk about quoting proverbs.Tatoeba #1102172 by sysko, translation #7790147 by sharris123
- 这段引用非常有名。Zhè duàn yǐnyòng fēicháng yǒumíng.This quote is very famous.
Example conversation
Two students are discussing a paper in the library.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen伟，你觉得这段引用合适吗？Wěi, nǐ juéde zhè duàn yǐnyòng héshì ma?Wei, do you think this quote is appropriate?
- 伟 Wei我觉得很合适，很有深度。Wǒ juéde hěn héshì, hěn yǒu shēndù.I think it's very appropriate and has a lot of depth.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen那我把它留在论文里。Nà wǒ bǎ tā liú zài lùnwén lǐ.Then I will keep it in the paper.
- 伟 Wei好的，继续加油吧！Hǎo de, jìxù jiāyóu ba!Okay, keep up the good work!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “quote” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
