激励 is a transitive verb meaning 'to inspire' or 'to motivate'—typically referring to encouraging someone to take positive action, improve performance, or pursue a goal. The first character 激 (jī) means 'to stimulate' or 'to stir up', often implying an emotional or energetic trigger; the second character 励 (lì) means 'to encourage' or 'to exert oneself', carrying connotations of effort and perseverance. Together, they form a compound that emphasizes purposeful, uplifting influence—commonly used in educational, workplace, and personal development contexts.

Unlike casual encouragement (e.g., 加油), 激励 suggests deeper, sustained influence—often from leaders, teachers, or role models—and frequently appears with objects like people, teams, or ideals (e.g., 激励学生, 激励员工). It can also function as a noun meaning 'motivation' or 'inspiration' in formal writing, though its verbal use is far more frequent in everyday speech and media.