Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
使 . In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
使 , but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
使 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
使 you have here. The definition of the word
使 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
使 , as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
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
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
simp. and trad.
使
alternative forms
駛 / 驶 (sai2 ; Cantonese “need” )洗 (sai2 ; Cantonese “need” )駛 / 驶 (sái ; Hokkien “to fuck” )
Glyph origin
Historical forms of the character 使
j19037
b12363
b12364
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).
Old Chinese
吏
*rɯs
倳
*ʔsrɯs
剚
*ʔsrɯs
事
*ʔsrɯs, *zrɯs
史
*srɯʔ
使
*srɯʔ, *srɯs
駛
*srɯʔ, *srɯs
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声 , OC *srɯʔ, *srɯs ): semantic 亻 + phonetic 吏 ( OC *rɯs ) . However, the phonetic component should add part of the meaning since it represents a hand holding perhaps a flag to mean "representative, ambassador".
Etymology
Compare Burmese စေ ( ce , “ to order, send someone on an errand ” ) (Luce, 1981 ).
Pronunciation 1
Note :
sai2 - vernacular;
si2 - literary.
Note :
sāi - vernacular;
sṳ̄ - literary.
Note :
sai3 - vernacular;
so3 - literary.
Note :
sái - vernacular (including Quanzhou & Philippines “to fuck”, also written as 駛 / 驶 ( sái ) in Taiwan);
sú/sír - literary.
Baxter –Sagart system 1.1 (2014 )
Character
使
Reading #
1/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
shǐ
Middle Chinese
‹ sriX ›
Old Chinese
/*s-rəʔ/
English
send; cause
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;
* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character
使
Reading #
1/2
No.
11488
Phonetic component
史
Rime group
之
Rime subdivision
0
Corresponding MC rime
史
Old Chinese
/*srɯʔ/
Definitions
使
to order (somebody to do something); to send (somebody)
夜 ,鄭 伯 使 祭 足 勞 王 ,且 問 左右 。 夜 ,郑 伯 使 祭 足 劳 王 ,且 问 左右 。 From: Commentary of Zuo , c. 4th century BCE , translated based on James Legge 's versionYè, 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 。 其 食客 三 千 人 ,邑入 不 足以 奉 客 ,使 人 出钱 于 薛 。 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.
( literary ) to put (people) to work
節用 而 愛 人 ,使 民 以 時 。 节用 而 爱 人 ,使 民 以 时 。 From: The Analects of Confucius , c. 475 – 221 BCE , translated based on James Legge 's versionJiéyòng ér ài rén, shǐ mín yǐ shí. Economy in expenditure, and love for men; and the employment of the people at the proper seasons.
to let ; to make ; to cause to
這 突如其來 的 消息 使 他 大為 震驚 。 这 突如其来 的 消息 使 他 大为 震惊 。 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 。 愚 以为 营 中 之 事 ,悉 以 咨 之 ,必 能 使 行阵 和睦 ,优劣 得 所 。 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 。 出师 未 捷 身 先 死 ,长 使 英雄 泪 满 襟 。 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 。 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 。 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.
to use ; to employ
呢 把 刀 幾 好 使 呢 把 刀 几 好 使 ni1 baa2 dou1 gei2 hou2 sai2 This knife is pretty good to use.
to play ; to play with; to resort to; to dally with
使 心眼 ― shǐ xīnyǎn ― To connive
to indulge
使 性子 ― shǐ xìngzi ― to get angry; to lose one's temper
( literary ) if
( Cantonese , always negated or interrogative) need to ; have to
你 唔使 攞 咁 多 ! 你 唔使 𫽋 咁 多 ! 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 ? 你 阵间 使 唔 使 落街 买 嘢 呀 ? 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 ? ― zung6 sai2 gong2 ge2 ? ― Surely it goes without saying .
( Cantonese , always negated or interrogative) need ; require ; want strongly
( 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 ) :
Dialectal synonyms of
用 (“to use”)
Variety
Location
Words
Formal (Written Standard Chinese )
用 , 使用
Northeastern Mandarin
Beijing
使 , 用
Malaysia
用
Singapore
用
Jilu Mandarin
Jinan
使 , 用
Central Plains Mandarin
Xi'an
使喚
Southwestern Mandarin
Chengdu
用 , 使
Wuhan
用
Guilin
用
Jianghuai Mandarin
Yangzhou
用
Hefei
使 , 用
Cantonese
Guangzhou
用 , 使
Hong Kong
用 , 使
Yangjiang
使
Singapore (Guangfu)
用
Gan
Nanchang
用
Hakka
Meixian
用
Jin
Taiyuan
使喚 , 用
Northern Min
Jian'ou
使
Eastern Min
Fuzhou
使
Southern Min
Xiamen
用
Penang (Hokkien)
用
Singapore (Hokkien)
用
Chaozhou
用 , 使
Singapore (Teochew)
用
Zhongshan Min
Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)
用
Wu
Suzhou
用
Wenzhou
用
Xiang
Changsha
用
Shuangfeng
用
Dialectal synonyms of
如果 (“if”)
Variety
Location
Words
Classical Chinese
若 , 假 , 如 , 使 , 令 , 苟 , 向 , 向使 , 向令 , 假令 , 假使 , 誠 , 誠使 , 倘 , 儻 , 當使
Formal (Written Standard Chinese )
若 , 如 , 如果 , 若果 , 果若 , 假如 , 假若 , 假使 , 假設 , 倘若 , 倘或 , 倘然 , 倘使 , 若是 , 若然 , 設若 , 設使 , 設令 , 設或 , 設
Northeastern Mandarin
Beijing
要是 , 要
Taiwan
要是 , 要 , 如果
Malaysia
如果
Singapore
如果
Jilu Mandarin
Jinan
要是
Central Plains Mandarin
Xi'an
要是
Southwestern Mandarin
Chengdu
要是 , 假比
Wuhan
要是
Jianghuai Mandarin
Yangzhou
要是 , 要 , 假使
Hefei
要是 , 倘此 , 倘倘
Cantonese
Guangzhou
如果 , 若果 , 若然 , 假使間
Hong Kong
如果 , 若果 , 若然 , 若然之 , 假使 , 假使間 , 假如
Macau
假如
Taishan
如果 , 若果 , 假使
Kaiping (Chikan)
若果
Yangjiang
設若
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)
如果
Singapore (Guangfu)
如果
Gan
Nanchang
要是 , 若是
Lichuan
假使
Hakka
Meixian
係話 , 若係 , 如果
Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)
若果 , 係講 , 係話
Miaoli (N. Sixian)
係講 , 若係 , 假使
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)
係講 , 係準 , 係準講 , 準講 , 準假 , 係若 , 若係 , 假使 , 假詐
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)
係講 , 若係 , 假使
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)
準講 , 可比 , 假使 , 係講 , 若係 , 若係講 , 準若講
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)
係講 , 若係 , 假使
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)
若係講 , 假使 , 若講 , 係講 , 若係
Kuching (Hepo)
假使
Jin
Taiyuan
要是
Northern Min
Jian'ou
來是 , 如果
Pucheng (Shibei)
來是 , 如果
Eastern Min
Fuzhou
儷是 , 若還
Southern Min
Xiamen
設使 , 若是 , 若 , 若欲是 , 假若 , 假若是 , 欲 , 欲是 , 甲若 , 甲若是
Quanzhou
設使 , 若是 , 若 , 若欲是 , 假若 , 假若是 , 欲 , 欲是
Zhangzhou
設使 , 若是 , 若 , 假若 , 假若是 , 欲 , 欲是 , 甲若 , 甲若是
Tainan
若是 , 若準 , 若 , 假使 , 設使
Penang (Hokkien)
若是 , 若準
Singapore (Hokkien)
若是
Manila (Hokkien)
若是 , 若 , 假使
Chaozhou
若是
Shantou
如果
Jieyang
若 , 若是
Singapore (Teochew)
若是
Wenchang
但見 , 欲
Haikou
麼是 , 設如 , 設使
Wu
Shanghai
要是 , 如果 , 假使 , 倘然 , 倘使 , 是得
Suzhou
要 , 如果
Wenzhou
若是 , 若
Xiang
Changsha
要是
Shuangfeng
要是 , 要此
( Cantonese ) ( need ) : 需要 (xūyào )
( to fuck ) :
Dialectal synonyms of
肏 (“to fuck; to have sex with”)
Variety
Location
Words
Northeastern Mandarin
Beijing
肏1 , 日 , 弄
Taiwan
幹 , 肏1
Harbin
肏1
Shenyang
肏1
Malaysia
幹
Singapore
幹
Jilu Mandarin
Jinan
肏1
Jiaoliao Mandarin
Yantai (Muping)
肏1
Central Plains Mandarin
Luoyang
日 , 尻
Wanrong
日
Xi'an
窄 , 失
Xining
日
Xuzhou
日 , 尻 , 操 , 肏1
Lanyin Mandarin
Yinchuan
日
Lanzhou
日
Ürümqi
日
Southwestern Mandarin
Chengdu
日
Wuhan
日 , 搞
Guiyang
日 , 肏1
Kunming
日
Guilin
屌 , 肏1
Liuzhou
屌 , 肏1
Jianghuai Mandarin
Nanjing
日 , 操
Yangzhou
入
Hefei
弄
Cantonese
Guangzhou
屌
Hong Kong
屌
Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou)
屌
Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou)
屌
Hong Kong (Ting Kok)
屌
Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)
屌
Macau
屌
Guangzhou (Panyu)
屌
Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)
屌
Guangzhou (Conghua)
屌
Guangzhou (Zengcheng)
屌
Foshan
屌
Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)
屌
Foshan (Shunde)
屌
Foshan (Sanshui)
屌
Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)
屌
Zhongshan (Shiqi)
屌
Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)
屌
Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)
屌
Zhuhai (Doumen)
屌
Jiangmen (Baisha)
屌
Jiangmen (Xinhui)
屌
Taishan
屌
Kaiping (Chikan)
屌
Enping (Niujiang)
屌
Heshan (Yayao)
屌
Dongguan
屌
Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)
屌
Qingyuan
屌
Fogang
屌
Yingde (Hanguang)
屌
Yangshan
屌
Lianzhou (Qingshui; Sihui)
屌
Shaoguan
屌
Shaoguan (Qujiang)
屌
Renhua
屌
Lechang
屌
Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)
屌
Sihui
屌
Guangning
屌
Deqing
屌
Huaiji
屌
Fengkai (Nanfeng)
屌
Yunfu
屌
Xinxing
屌
Luoding
屌
Yunan (Pingtai)
屌
Yangjiang
屌
Xinyi
屌
Lianjiang
屌
Beihai
屌
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)
屌
Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)
屌
Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)
屌
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)
屌
Penang (Guangfu)
屌
Singapore (Guangfu)
屌
Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)
屌
Móng Cái
屌
Gan
Nanchang
戳
Lichuan
戳
Pingxiang
戳
Hakka
Meixian
屌
Xingning
屌
Dabu (Xihe)
屌
Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)
屌
Huidong (Daling)
屌
Dongguan (Qingxi)
屌
Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)
屌
Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)
屌
Wuhua (Huacheng)
屌
Heyuan (Bendihua)
屌
Wengyuan
屌
Shaoguan (Qujiang)
屌
Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)
屌
Liannan
屌
Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)
屌
Jiexi
屌
Changting
屌
Wuping
屌
Wuping (Yanqian)
屌
Wuping (Pingyu)
屌
Liancheng
屌
Ninghua
屌
Yudu
屌 , 戳
Ningdu
屌
Ruijin
屌
Shicheng
屌
Shangyou (Shexi)
屌
Tonggu (Sandu)
屌 , 戳
Ganzhou (Panlong)
屌
Dayu
屌
Miaoli (N. Sixian)
屌
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)
屌
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)
屌
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)
屌
Hong Kong
屌
Yangxi (Tangkou)
屌
Yangchun (Sanjia)
屌
Xinyi (Sihe)
屌
Xinyi (Qianpai)
屌
Gaozhou (Xindong)
屌
Maoming (Shalang, Dianbai)
屌
Huazhou (Xin'an)
屌
Lianjiang (Shijiao)
屌
Lianjiang (Qingping)
屌
Mengshan (Xihe)
屌
Luchuan
屌
Sabah (Longchuan)
屌
Kuala Lumpur (Dabu)
屌
Jin
Taiyuan
透 , 肏1 , 日
Xinzhou
透 , 日
Linhe
透
Jining
透
Hohhot
透
Baotou
透
Northern Min
Jian'ou
饁
Eastern Min
Fuzhou
𠚺
Fuzhou (Changle)
𠚺
Fuqing
𠚺
Gutian
𠚺
Fu'an
操
Ningde
操
Shouning
戳
Zhouning
戳
Fuding
操
Southern Min
Xiamen
姦
Xiamen (Tong'an)
箍
Quanzhou
使 , 獛
Jinjiang
使
Nan'an
使
Hui'an
使
Anxi
使
Yongchun
使
Dehua
使
Zhangzhou
姦 , 躄
Taipei
姦
Kaohsiung
姦
Yilan
姦
Taichung
姦
Tainan
姦
Taitung
姦
Penang (Hokkien)
姦
Singapore (Hokkien)
姦 , 使
Manila (Hokkien)
使
Chaozhou
甫
Shantou
甫
Shantou (Chenghai)
甫
Shantou (Chaoyang)
甫
Jieyang
甫
Lufeng
甫
Haifeng
甫
Johor Bahru (Teochew)
甫
Singapore (Teochew)
甫
Leizhou
肏4
Wenchang
肏4
Haikou
肏4
Puxian Min
Putian
騷
Xianyou
騷
Zhongshan Min
Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)
屌
Southern Pinghua
Nanning (Tingzi)
屌
Wu
Shanghai
戳
Shanghai (Chongming)
戳
Suzhou
戳
Haining (Yanguan)
戳
Danyang
肏5
Ningbo
嬉
Wenzhou
裝
Jinhua
弄 , 入
Xiang
Changsha
肏3
Loudi
肏3
Shuangfeng
肏3
Compounds
Pronunciation 2
Mandarin
(Pinyin ) : shǐ , shì (shi3 , shi4 )
(Zhuyin ) : ㄕˇ, ㄕˋ
Cantonese
(Guangzhou –Hong Kong , Jyutping ) : si3 / si5
(Taishan , Wiktionary ) : lhu2
Hakka
(Sixian , PFS ) : sṳ́
(Meixian , Guangdong ) : si3
Eastern Min (BUC ) : sái / sé̤ṳ
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing ): so4
Southern Min
(Hokkien , POJ ) : sài / sù / sìr
(Teochew , Peng'im ) : sai3
Wu (Shanghai , Wugniu ) : 5 sy
Note :
sái - vernacular;
sé̤ṳ - literary.
Note :
sài - vernacular;
sù/sìr - literary.
Baxter –Sagart system 1.1 (2014 )
Character
使
Reading #
2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
shǐ
Middle Chinese
‹ sriH ›
Old Chinese
/*s-rəʔ-s/
English
envoy
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;
* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character
使
Reading #
2/2
No.
11491
Phonetic component
史
Rime group
之
Rime subdivision
0
Corresponding MC rime
𩢲
Old Chinese
/*srɯs/
Definitions
使
to be sent as an envoy
子 華 使 於 齊 ,冉 子 為 其 母 請 粟 。 子 华 使 于 齐 ,冉 子 为 其 母 请 粟 。 From: The Analects of Confucius , c. 475 – 221 BCE , translated based on James Legge 's versionZǐhuá 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.
envoy ; messenger
來使 / 来使 ― láishǐ ― envoy from another country
Compounds
References
“使 ”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database) , 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong ), 2014–
莆田市荔城区档案馆 , editor (2022 ), “使 ”, in 莆仙方言文读字汇 (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), page 211 .
Japanese
Kanji
使
(Third grade kyōiku kanji )
Readings
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
使( し ) • (shi )
messenger
Derived terms
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
Wikisource
使 (eumhun 부릴 사 ( buril sa ) )
hanja form? of 사 ( “ to use ; to employ ” )
hanja form? of 사 ( “ in order to do ” )
hanja form? of 사 ( “ envoy ; messenger ” )
Compounds
고사 (苦使 , gosa )공사 (公使 , gongsa )구사 (驅使 , gusa )노사 (勞使 , nosa )대사 (大使 , daesa )밀사 (密使 , milsa )사도 (使徒 , sado )사명 (使命 , samyeong )사신 (使臣 , sasin )사역 (使役 , sayeok )사용 (使用 , sayong , “use ; usage ”)사자 (使者 , saja )사절 (使節 , sajeol )사주 (使嗾 , saju )설사 (設使 , seolsa )천사 (天使 , cheonsa )특사 (特使 , teuksa )행사 (行使 , haengsa )
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
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.
Compounds
References