引 from HSK Level 4 Vocabulary List

The Chinese character 引 (yǐn) is composed of two parts: the radical 弓 (gōng), which means "bow," and the phonetic component 尹 (yǐn). The original meaning of 引 was "to pull a bow," and it has since extended to mean "to lead," "to guide," "to attract," and "to quote."The character 引 is first attested in oracle bone script, the earliest known form of Chinese writing. In oracle bone script, 引 is depicted as a hand holding a bow. This image suggests that the original meaning of 引 was "to pull a bow."In seal script, the next stage of Chinese writing, 引 is depicted as a hand holding a bow with an arrow drawn back. This image suggests that the meaning of 引 had expanded to include "to shoot an arrow."In clerical script, the third stage of Chinese writing, 引 is depicted as a hand holding a bow with an arrow drawn back and ready to be released. This image suggests that the meaning of 引 had further expanded to include "to aim."In modern Chinese, 引 is used in a variety of contexts. It can be used as a verb, meaning "to lead," "to guide," "to attract," or "to quote." It can also be used as a noun, meaning "a guide," "a leader," or "a quotation."The character 引 is a versatile and important character in Chinese. It is used in a wide variety of contexts, and it has a rich history.