启发 (qǐ fā) means to inspire or stimulate someone's thinking, often by asking questions or providing examples. It focuses on intellectual awakening, unlike 激励 (jī lì) and 鼓舞 (gǔ wǔ) which encourage action or boost morale. Compared to 启示 (qǐ shì), which suggests a revelation or lesson from an event, 启发 is more about actively prompting new ideas through guidance.