Chinese word

鞭策

Pronunciation

Pinyinbiān cè

Meaning

  • verburge

Example

家长天天打电话来鞭策孩子写作业。jiā zhǎng tiān tiān dǎ diàn huà lái biān cè hái zi xiě zuò yè

The parents call every day to urge their child to do their homework.

Illustration for 鞭策 (urge)

More examples

市场竞争鞭策企业提升服务质量。shì chǎng jìng zhēng biān cè qǐ yè tí shēng fú wù zhì liàng

Market competition spurs companies to improve service quality.

Core concept

An external force that keeps a person from slowing down and makes sustained effort necessary.

Common phrases

  • 鞭策孩子biān cè hái zi

    urge children

  • 鞭策自己biān cè zì jǐ

    spur oneself

  • 鞭策团队biān cè tuán duì

    spur a team

Similar words

督促dū cù: Follow a task's progress and urge the responsible person to finish it without delay.
催促cuī cù: Urge someone to hurry and do something by the promised time.
鼓励gǔ lì: Give praise or support that helps someone feel willing and ready to act.
激励jī lì: Rouse someone with forceful words or actions so that they work with greater determination.

Definition in Chinese

通过严厉督促或设立约束来促人努力，含有催促与激励并存的意味，多用于上对下的情形。tōng guò yán lì dū cù huò shè lì yuē shù lái cù rén nǔ lì hán yǒu cuī cù yǔ jī lì bìng cún de yì wèi duō yòng yú shàng duì xià de qíng xíng

Word origin

鞭 (biān, "whip") + 策 (cè, "riding stick") evokes driving a horse forward, an image that developed into pressing a person to make greater effort.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this verb sounds formal and strong, so it suits serious talk about study, work, or discipline more than a small casual reminder.

Other meanings

  • spurverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 鞭策者biān cè zhěone who urgesnoun

Word lists with this word