Mnemonic
You grip your bow and press a stickagainst its string. Now pull back with everything you've got! The bow creaks, the stick trembles under tension. The harder you pull, the farther that stick will fly. Feel your muscles burn as the bow bends to its limit.
Additional thoughts
Picture the physical act: a bow is useless without pulling. The stick (arrow) only launches when drawn back. Pulling IS the bow's entire purpose. The kanji literally looks like a bow with a vertical stick being drawn back.Quick recall
Nock a stick in your bow and pull back hard to fire.Details
The keyword for 引 is pull. This kanji represents the fundamental action of drawing something toward oneself, such as pulling a door, dragging an object, or tugging on a rope. By extension, it also conveys the ideas of attracting, leading, or guiding, as well as withdrawing or retreating. It is one of the most commonly used kanji for expressing the basic physical and metaphorical concept of pulling or drawing something closer.
- On'yomi
- いん
- Kun'yomi
- ひ.く、ひ.ける