催生 literally combines 催 (to urge, hasten) and 生 (to give birth, to produce), forming a verb meaning 'to induce labor' in medical contexts or 'to prompt the emergence or creation of something' in figurative usage. In obstetrics, it refers to medical procedures—such as administering oxytocin or breaking the amniotic sac—to initiate or accelerate childbirth when medically necessary. Outside medicine, it commonly describes actions that spur development, innovation, or change: for example, new policies may cuīshēng technological breakthroughs.

The term carries a neutral-to-positive connotation when used intentionally and appropriately—e.g., supportive government measures that cuīshēng entrepreneurship—but can imply pressure or artificiality if overused or misapplied. It is rarely used for spontaneous or natural processes, always implying an active, external impetus.