参与 (cān yǔ) is a verb meaning 'to participate in' or 'to be involved in' an activity, event, or process. It emphasizes active engagement—not just being present, but contributing or taking part meaningfully. The first character 参 (cān) originally meant 'to consult' or 'to join', and the second character 与 (yǔ) means 'with' or 'together with'; together, they convey the idea of joining others in shared action.

This word is commonly used in formal and semi-formal contexts: school projects, meetings, community events, volunteer work, or online discussions. It’s more neutral and slightly more formal than verbs like 加入 (jiā rù, 'to join') or 参加 (cān jiā, 'to attend/take part in'), and it often implies collaboration or responsibility rather than passive attendance. It can take a noun phrase marked by 在…中 or in a prepositional phrase with 'in' (e.g., 在讨论中参与).