倡议 (chàngyì) — to propose, to initiate; proposal

倡议 (chàngyì)

倡议 means to propose or initiate something — to be the first to suggest or call for a collective action, especially in a public, formal, or international context. As a noun, it refers to the proposal or initiative itself. It is particularly associated with diplomatic initiatives, international cooperation, and social movements.

Meanings

1. [v] to propose; to initiate; to call for (a collective action or new approach)
2. [n] a proposal; an initiative; a call to action

Example Sentences

"一带一路"倡议自提出以来，已获得一百五十余个国家和国际组织的积极响应。 "Yīdàiyīlù" chàngyì zì tíchū yǐlái, yǐ huòdé yībǎi wǔshí yú gè guójiā hé guójì zǔzhī de jījí xiǎngyìng. Since the "Belt and Road" Initiative was proposed, it has received positive responses from more than 150 countries and international organizations.

多国代表联合倡议建立一个专门处理跨境网络安全威胁的国际协调机制。 Duō guó dàibiǎo liánhé chàngyì jiànlì yīgè zhuānmén chǔlǐ kuàjìng wǎngluò ānquán wēixié de guójì xiétiáo jīzhì. Representatives from multiple countries jointly proposed the establishment of an international coordination mechanism specifically addressing cross-border cybersecurity threats.

这项环保倡议号召公众减少一次性塑料制品的使用。 Zhè xiàng huánbǎo chàngyì hàozhào gōngzhòng jiǎnshǎo yīcìxìng sùliào zhìpǐn de shǐyòng. This environmental initiative calls on the public to reduce the use of single-use plastic products.

他率先倡议在社区内建立邻里互助网络，获得了居民的广泛支持。 Tā shuàixiān chàngyì zài shèqū nèi jiànlì línlǐ hùzhù wǎngluò, huòdéle jūmín de guǎngfàn zhīchí. He took the lead in proposing the establishment of a neighborhood mutual assistance network in the community, receiving broad support from residents.

联合国秘书长发出倡议，呼吁各国加快推进碳中和目标的实现进程。 Liánhéguó mìshūzhǎng fāchū chàngyì, hūyù gè guó jiākuài tuījìn tàn zhōnghé mùbiāo de shíxiàn jìnchéng. The UN Secretary-General issued an initiative calling on countries to accelerate the achievement of carbon neutrality targets.

这一学术倡议获得了全球三百余所高校的联署支持，影响深远。 Zhè yī xuéshù chàngyì huòdéle quánqiú sān bǎi yú suǒ gāoxiào de liánshǔ zhīchí, yǐngxiǎng shēnyuǎn. This academic initiative received co-signature support from more than three hundred universities worldwide, with far-reaching impact.

Collocations

Usage Notes

倡议 is the standard term for international diplomatic initiatives and is strongly associated with China's foreign policy language (most notably "一带一路"倡议, the Belt and Road Initiative). The key distinction from 建议 (jiànyì, suggestion/recommendation) is that 倡议 is public and calls for collective action, while 建议 can be private and individual. 倡议 also implies that the proposer intends to lead or be first.

The pattern 发出倡议 (to issue/launch an initiative) or 提出倡议 (to put forward an initiative) are the standard constructions. As a noun, 倡议书 (a written initiative or open letter) is common in formal contexts. C1 learners should be aware of its political weight in Chinese diplomatic discourse.

Memory Hook

倡 (to lead, to initiate — the 人 person radical suggests personal leadership) + 议 (to discuss, to propose): "a person who takes the lead in proposing something for others to join" — initiating collective action.