HSK Level 5

倡导

chàng dǎo

initiate; propose; advocate

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Example Sentences

Synonyms

提倡 (tí cháng)

advocate

鼓吹 (gǔ chuī)

promote

Antonyms

反对 (fǎnduì)

oppose

抵制 (dǐzhì)

resist

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 倡导 (chàngdǎo) is composed of two characters: 倡 (chàng) and 导 (dǎo). The character 倡 originally meant "to sing" or "to recite", and later extended to mean "to initiate" or "to advocate". The character 导 originally meant "to guide" or "to lead", and later extended to mean "to promote" or "to encourage". When combined, the two characters 倡导 form the verb "to advocate" or "to promote".The word 倡导 can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). It was first used in the Analects of Confucius, where it is said that "The Master said, 'The gentleman is one who is able to practice what he preaches, and who is able to advocate what he believes in.'" In this passage, the word 倡导 is used in the sense of "to advocate" or "to promote".Over time, the word 倡导 has come to be used in a wider variety of contexts. It can now be used to refer to the promotion of a cause, a product, or an idea. For example, the Chinese government often uses the word 倡导 to promote its policies and initiatives.The word 倡导 is a versatile and important word in the Chinese language. It can be used in a variety of contexts to express the idea of "to advocate" or "to promote".