呼籲

Appeal to or Urge

Level 6Sounds Like fu1 jyu6

呼籲 (fu1 jyu6) is a formal term meaning 'to appeal' or 'to urge.' It is the standard way for authorities, NGOs, or public figures to request voluntary action or support from the public.

How It Works

In Cantonese, 呼籲 (fu1 jyu6) functions as both a verb and a noun. While it is shared with Standard Written Chinese, it is a staple of formal spoken Cantonese in Hong Kong and Macau. This is a Level 6 term, corresponding to advanced proficiency levels (such as CUHK/Yale-LCC Level 6 or HSK 3.0 Band 7-9).

1. Syntactic Patterns:

  • Direct Object (Action): [Agent] + 呼籲 + [Target] + [Action]. For example: 警方呼籲市民提供資料 (The police urge citizens to provide information).
  • Direct Object (Abstract Noun): [Agent] + 呼籲 + [Abstract Noun]. For example: 呼籲和平 (fu1 jyu6 wo4 ping4 - appeal for peace).
  • Prepositional: [Agent] + 向 (hoeng3) + [Target] + 呼籲 (+ [Action]). This pattern emphasizes the direction of the appeal and is common in news reports.
  • Noun Form: Often paired with the verb 'to make' (作出 zok3 ceot1). For example: 作出呼籲 (To make an appeal).

2. Register and Nuance:
You would not normally use it with friends to ask for a favor; instead, you would use 請 (cing2) or 叫 (giu3). Using 呼籲 in casual settings sounds overly dramatic or stiff. A key collocation is 響應 (hoeng2 jing3), meaning 'to respond to' or 'to support' the appeal.

3. Comparison with similar terms:

  • 要求 (jiu1 kau4): A demand or requirement. It is mandatory.
  • 促請 (cuk1 cing2): To press or urge a higher authority to act.
  • 勸喻 (hyun3 jyu6): To advise or exhort, often used for safety warnings.

Examples (4)

  1. 警方呼籲市民留意身邊嘅可疑財物。

    The police urge citizens to stay alert for suspicious belongings around them.

    Word by Word: Police appeal citizens pay attention side-of possessive suspicious property.

    This is the most common news pattern: [Authority] + 呼籲 + [Public] + [Action].

  2. 紅十字會呼籲市民踴躍捐血。

    The Red Cross appeals to the public to actively donate blood.

    Word by Word: Red Cross appeal citizens enthusiastically donate blood.

    Here, 呼籲 is used by an NGO to request voluntary social support.

  3. 佢向國際社會作出呼籲，希望得到援助。

    He made an appeal to the international community, hoping to receive aid.

    Word by Word: He toward international society make out appeal, hope get aid.

    This demonstrates the noun form '作出呼籲' (make an appeal) and the use of the preposition '向' (toward).

  4. 政府呼籲市民盡快接種疫苗。

    The government urges citizens to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

    Word by Word: Government appeal citizens as-soon-as-possible receive-seed vaccine.

    A typical public health announcement using the formal register.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the term in a casual, everyday context.

    我呼籲你買咖啡畀我。
    我想你買杯咖啡畀我。

    呼籲 (fu1 jyu6) is extremely formal. Using it to ask a friend for coffee sounds like a mock-heroic government announcement and is unnatural.

  • Thinking the preposition '向' (hoeng3) cannot be used with a following action.

    Different Meaning警方呼籲市民提供資料。
    警方向市民呼籲提供資料。

    Both patterns are correct. Using 向 (hoeng3) emphasizes the direction of the appeal and is very common in formal news reports, even when a specific action follows.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

呼籲Level 6Appeal to or Urge

Learn This First

呼籲 (fu3 jyu6) is a formal verb meaning 'to appeal' or 'to urge'. It is typically used in official contexts, such as news reports or government announcements, where an authority figure addresses the public. To use it correctly, learners should be comfortable with formal Cantonese vocabulary and the standard word order used in official reporting.

Words in This Pattern

呼吁