使

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

使 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+6, 8 strokes, cangjie input 人十中大 (OJLK), four-corner 2520₆, composition ⿰亻吏)

Derived characters

• 𭈓 𪮈 𣔤 𣷱 𧍇 𧳡 𩸲 𫤄 𠅚 𦲺 𮦙 𧍅 𰜇

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 101, character 5
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 573
• Dae Jaweon: page 213, character 12
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 145, character 2
• Unihan data for U+4F7F

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 使
Oracle bone script j19037 Bronze inscriptions b12363 b12364 Small seal script s05813 Transcribed ancient scripts L13528 L13529 L13530 L13531 L13532 L13533 L13534 L13535
References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *srɯʔ, *srɯs) : semantic 亻 + phonetic 吏 (OC *rɯs).

Pronunciation 1

Definitions

使

1. to order (somebody to do something); to send (somebody)

   • 夜，鄭伯使祭足勞王，且問左右。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     夜，郑伯使祭足劳王，且问左右。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Yè, Zhèng bó shǐ Jì Zú láo wáng, qiě wèn zuǒyòu.

     At night sent Zu of Zhai to comfort the king, and to ask after the welfare of his officers.

   • 其食客三千人，邑入不足以奉客，使人出錢於薛。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     其食客三千人，邑入不足以奉客，使人出钱于薛。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Qí shíkè sānqiān rén, yìrù bù zúyǐ fèng kè, shǐ rén chūqián yú Xuē.

     He had 3000 retainers, and the income from his fief was not enough to support his retainers. Thus, he dispatched people to provide loans in Xue.

2. (literary) to put (people) to work

   • 節用而愛人，使民以時。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     节用而爱人，使民以时。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Jiéyòng ér ài rén, shǐ mín yǐ shí.

     Economy in expenditure, and love for men; and the employment of the people at the proper seasons.

3. to let; to make; to cause to

   這突如其來的消息使他大為震驚。 [MSC, trad.]
   这突如其来的消息使他大为震惊。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè tūrúqílái de xiāoxī shǐ tā dàwéi zhènjīng.

   This sudden news caused him great shock.

   • 愚以爲營中之事，悉以咨之，必能使行陣和睦，優劣得所。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     愚以为营中之事，悉以咨之，必能使行阵和睦，优劣得所。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 227, 諸葛亮 (Zhūgě Liàng) (Zhuge Liang), 前出師表 (Former Chu Shi Biao)

     Yú yǐwèi yíng zhōng zhī shì, xī yǐ zī zhī, bì néng shǐ xíngzhèn hémù, yōuliè dé suǒ.

     I think he should be consulted on all military affairs. This can certainly make the troops harmonious and put the good and the bad in their proper places.

   • 出師未捷身先死，長使英雄淚滿襟。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     出师未捷身先死，长使英雄泪满襟。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: c. 760, Du Fu, 蜀相

     Chūshī wèi jié shēn xiān sǐ, cháng shǐ yīngxióng lèi mǎn jīn.

     Before winning while sending out his troops, he died / Eternally making heroes cry all over their sleeves.

   • 2021 July 14, 周忠和, 武向平, 王挺, “推动科学素质建设迈上新台阶”, in People's Daily, page 5:

     科學精神是使人擺脫愚昧盲目的有效武器，是推動社會進步的強大力量。 [MSC, trad.]
     科学精神是使人摆脱愚昧盲目的有效武器，是推动社会进步的强大力量。 [MSC, simp.]

     Kēxuéjīngshén shì shǐ rén bǎituō yúmèi mángmù de yǒuxiào wǔqì, shì tuīdòng shèhuì jìnbù de qiángdà lìliàng.

     The scientific spirit is an effective weapon that makes people cast off ignorance and blind beliefs. It is a strong force that drives forward the progress of society.

4. to use; to employ

   呢把刀幾好使 [Cantonese, trad.]
   呢把刀几好使 [Cantonese, simp.]

   ni¹ baa² dou¹ gei² hou² sai²

   This knife is pretty good to use.

   • 嫂嫂，借扇子我使使。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: Wu Cheng'en, Journey to the West, 16^th century CE

     Sǎosao, jiè shànzi wǒ shǐ shǐ.

     Sister, lend the fan to me.

5. to play; to play with; to resort to; to dally with

   使心眼  ―  shǐ xīnyǎn  ―  (please add an English translation of this usage example)

6. to indulge

   使性子  ―  shǐ xìngzi  ―  to get angry; to lose one's temper

7. (literary) if

   • 使死者無知，則已矣，若其有知，君何面目以見員也！ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     使死者无知，则已矣，若其有知，君何面目以见员也！ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Guoyu, circa 4^th century BCE

     Shǐ sǐzhě wú zhī, zé yǐ yǐ, ruò qí yǒu zhī, jūn hé miànmù yǐ jiàn Yuán yě!

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

8. (Cantonese, always negated or interrogative) need to ; have to

   你唔使攞咁多！ [Cantonese, trad.]
   你唔使𫽋咁多！ [Cantonese, simp.]

   nei⁵ m⁴ sai² lo² gam³ do¹!

   You don't need to get so much!

   你陣間使唔使落街買嘢呀？ [Cantonese, trad.]
   你阵间使唔使落街买嘢呀？ [Cantonese, simp.]

   nei⁵ zan⁶ gaan¹ sai² m⁴ sai² lok⁶ gaai¹ maai⁵ je⁵ aa³?

   Do you need to head out to buy things later?

   仲使講嘅？／仲使讲嘅？ [Cantonese]  ―  zung⁶ sai² gong² ge²?   ―  Surely it goes without saying.

9. (Cantonese, always negated or interrogative) need ; require; want strongly
10. (Quanzhou and Philippine Hokkien, vulgar) to fuck

Synonyms

• (to let; to make; to cause to): 令 (lìng), 讓／让 (ràng)
• (to dispatch): 送 (sòng)
• (to use):

• (if):

• (Cantonese) (need): 需要 (xūyào)
• (to fuck):

Pronunciation 2

Definitions

使

1. to be sent as an envoy

   • 子華使於齊，冉子為其母請粟。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子华使于齐，冉子为其母请粟。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Zǐhuá shǐ yú Qí, Rǎnzǐ wèi qí mǔ qǐng sù.

     Zi Hua being employed on a mission to Qi, the disciple Ran requested grain for his mother.

2. envoy; messenger

   來使／来使  ―  láishǐ  ―  envoy from another country

Compounds

Japanese

Kanji

(grade 3 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: し (shi, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: し (shi, Jōyō)
• Kun: つかう (tsukau, 使う, Jōyō); しむ (shimu); せしむ (seshimu); しめば (shimeba)

Compounds

• 大(たい)使(し)館(かん) (taishikan): embassy
• 天(てん)使(し) (tenshi): angel
• 大(たい)使(し) (taishi): ambassador

Noun

使(し) • (shi) 

1. messenger

Korean

Etymology

“to use; in order to; etc.”

From Middle Chinese 使 (MC sriX).

“envoy; messenger”

From Middle Chinese 使 (MC sriH).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):
• Phonetic hangul:
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Hanja

Korean Wikisource has texts containing the hanja:

使

Wikisource

使 (eumhun 부릴 사 (buril sa))

1. Hanja form^? of 사 (“to use; to employ”).
2. Hanja form^? of 사 (“in order to do”).
3. Hanja form^? of 사 (“envoy; messenger”).

Compounds

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

Vietnamese

Han character

使: Hán Nôm readings: sứ, sử, sửa, thửa

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Compounds

• 使者 (sứ giả)
• 使用 (sử dụng)

References

• Nom Foundation