劝 quàn to recommend
to recommend; to advise; to urge; to try to persuade
How to remember 劝: 又 again + 力 power = to recommend. The doctor raises his hand again and tells the tired banker to save his power for his kids, which he is always glad to recommend.
Component breakdown
劝 = 又 again + 力 power
- 又 again
- 力 power
The doctor raises his hand again and tells the tired banker to save his power for his kids, which he is always glad to recommend.
How it is used
- Verb "to advise/urge someone (not) to do something": 我劝你别去 (wǒ quàn nǐ bié qù) - "I advise you not to go", pattern 劝 + person + (别/不要) + verb.
- Compared to 建议 jiànyì "to suggest", 劝 carries more emotional urgency - it's what you say when you're genuinely trying to talk someone out of a bad choice.
- 劝说 quànshuō "to persuade" and 劝阻 quànzǔ "to dissuade, talk someone out of" are the more formal/written derivatives.
- 劝告 quàngào works as both noun ("a piece of advice") and verb.