影响
to influence; influence; impact
yǐngxiǎng
What does 影响 mean?
影响 (yǐngxiǎng) functions as both a verb ('to influence; to affect') and a noun ('influence; impact'). Literally 'shadow + echo,' the image is of something casting a shadow or sending an echo that reaches farther than itself. As a verb: 别影响别人 ('don't disturb / affect others'); as a noun: 这件事的影响很大 ('the impact of this matter is huge').
One thing English speakers often miss: in Chinese, 影响 is frequently negative or neutral by default — closer to 'affect / disturb' than the warmer English 'influence.' 'Don't 影响 me' typically means 'don't bother me' or 'don't mess up what I'm doing,' not 'don't shape my character.' For a clearly positive 'influence,' add 好的 ('good 影响') or use 启发 (qǐfā, 'inspire').
Character breakdown
shadow; image
sound; echo; to ring
Memory hook: Shadow + echo — something that reaches you indirectly, just like an influence.
Example sentences
看电视太多会影响学习。
Kàn diànshì tài duō huì yǐngxiǎng xuéxí.
Watching too much TV will affect your studies.
neutral
请小声一点儿，不要影响别人。
Qǐng xiǎoshēng yìdiǎnr, búyào yǐngxiǎng biérén.
Please be quieter, don't disturb others.
spoken
这本书对我影响很大。
Zhè běn shū duì wǒ yǐngxiǎng hěn dà.
This book had a big influence on me.
neutral
天气不好，影响了我们的旅行。
Tiānqì bù hǎo, yǐngxiǎng le wǒmen de lǚxíng.
The bad weather affected our trip.
neutral
他受到了老师的影响。
Tā shòudào le lǎoshī de yǐngxiǎng.
He was influenced by his teacher.
written
Common phrases with 影响
Hear it in real Fluentide episodes
影响 appears in 9 podcast episodes at natural native speed, with full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Synonyms
作用 means 'function / effect' — neutral, often about how something works. 这个药有什么作用？ ('What does this medicine do?'). 影响 is broader and often suggests downstream effects on people or situations.
效果 means 'result / effect / outcome' — the visible result of an action. 学习效果很好 ('the study results are good'). 影响 is the process of affecting; 效果 is the result.
Don't confuse 影响 with
影子 is a literal shadow (the dark shape on the ground). 影响 is figurative 'influence.' They share the 影 character but mean different things.
印象 is an 'impression' — what stays in your mind after meeting someone or seeing something. 给我留下印象 ('made an impression on me'). Sounds similar to 影响 but means something internal, not external impact.
响 alone means 'to make a sound; ring' (电话响了 — 'the phone rang'). 影响 is a different compound word.