使 (shǐ): to make, to cause, to enable
使 (shǐ) is a Chinese character meaning “to make.” Classified as HSK Level 4 (HSK 3.0 Standard, CLEC 2022), it is composed of 亻 (structural) and 吏 (structural). It ranks #119 in character frequency (SUBTLEX-CH corpus).
Etymologically derived, 使 a person 亻 working for the government 吏. Its radical form 亻 (person) appears in many related characters such as 人 (rén, person), 什 (shén, what), 今 (jīn, now).
Definitions
- to make
- to cause
- to enable
Etymology & Origin
ideographicA person 亻 working for the government 吏
Decomposition: ⿰亻吏 (layout: left-right)
Stroke Order
Practice writing 使 with real-time feedback — trace each stroke in the correct order and build muscle memory in the HanziFeed app.
Words & Compounds
HSK Vocabulary with 使
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 即使conjunction | jí shǐ | even if | 4 |
| 使用verb | shǐ yòng | to use | 4 |
| 使得verb | shǐ de | usable | 5 |
| 大使noun | dà shǐ | ambassador | 6 |
| 使劲verb | shǐ jìn | to exert all one's strength | 6 |
| 促使verb | cù shǐ | to prompt | 5 |
| 使馆noun | shǐ guǎn | consulate | 4 |
Common Compounds
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 天使 | tiān shǐ | angel |
| 使命 | shǐ mìng | mission |
| 使者 | shǐ zhě | emissary |
| 大使馆 | dà shǐ guǎn | embassy |
| 迫使 | pò shǐ | to force |
| 指使 | zhǐ shǐ | to incite |
| 驱使 | qū shǐ | to urge |
| 行使 | xíng shǐ | to exercise (a right etc) |
| 使唤 | shǐ huan | to order sb around |
| 主使 | zhǔ shǐ | to mastermind |
| 好使 | hǎo shǐ | easy to use |
| 信使 | xìn shǐ | messenger |
| 致使 | zhì shǐ | to cause |
| 使用者 | shǐ yòng zhě | (Tw) user |
| 使徒 | shǐ tú | apostle |
使 appears in 96 compound words: 32 as the first character, 43 as the last, and 25 in a middle position. Compound statistics computed from SUBTLEX-CH and HSK 3.0 vocabulary data.
Strongest Collocations
Characters that most frequently co-occur with 使 in natural Chinese text, ranked by NPMI (Normalized Pointwise Mutual Information) — a statistical measure of association strength.
Idioms & Chengyu (12)
demons and gods at work (idiom); unexplained event crying out for a supernatural explanation; curious coincidence
to appoint the virtuous and use the able (idiom); appointment on the basis of ability and integrity
to control or handle someone or something effectively and easily; to be in perfect command of
the work of gods and devils (idiom); unexplained event crying out for a supernatural explanation; curious coincidence
demons and gods at work (idiom); unexplained event crying out for a supernatural explanation; curious coincidence
to appoint the virtuous and use the able (idiom); appointment on the basis of ability and integrity
the work of gods and devils (idiom); unexplained event crying out for a supernatural explanation; curious coincidence
Showing 10 of 12 idioms containing 使.
Example Sentences
这位老使虽然年过八旬，但身体依然硬朗。
zhè wèi lǎo shǐ suī rán nián guò bā xún , dàn shēn tī yī rán yìng lǎng .
Though over eighty years old, the veteran diplomat remains in robust health.
穿戴震动棒晚上一直穿会坏吗?这些使用注意事项要了解
chuān dài zhèn dòng bàng wǎn shàng yī zhí chuān huì huài ma ? zhè xiē shǐ yòng zhù yì shì xiàng yāo le jiě
Does wearing a vibrator all the time at night go bad? These precautions should be understood
ysl水蜜桃满十八岁可以用的吗?使用前这些要点需知晓
y s l shuǐ mì táo mǎn shí bā suì kě yǐ yòng de ma ? shǐ yòng qián zhè xiē yāo diǎn xū zhī xiǎo
Can YSL peaches be used at the age of 18? These points need to be known before use
川普施压伊朗恐有反效果 使中东陷入新动荡
chuān pǔ shī yā yī lǎng kǒng yǒu fǎn xiào guǒ shǐ zhōng dōng xiàn rù xīn dòng dàng
Trump's pressure on Iran may have the opposite effect and plunge the Middle East into new turmoil
前州教育高官:神韵复兴传统的使命了不起
qián zhōu jiào yù gāo guān : shén yùn fù xīng chuán tǒng de shǐ mìng le bù qǐ
Former state education official: Shen Yun's mission to revive tradition is remarkable
今日冇人停赛 花果猴王第3次心律不正唔使退役
jīn rì 冇 rén tíng sài huā guǒ hóu wáng dì 3 cì xīn lǜ bù zhèng 唔 shǐ tuì yì
No one is suspended today, and the Flower Monkey King has been arrhythmic for the third time
日本大使馆在哪里？
Rìběn dàshǐguǎn zài nǎlǐ?
Where is the Japanese Embassy?
我可以使用我的医疗保险吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ shǐyòng wǒ de yīliáo bǎoxiǎn ma?
Can I use my medical insurance?
在法国，你在大使馆工作还是领事馆？
Zài Fǎguó, nǐ zài dàshǐguǎn gōngzuò háishi lǐngshìguǎn?
In France did you work at the embassy or in the consulate?
你知道怎样使用这些命令行工具吗？
Nǐ zhīdào zěnyàng shǐyòng zhèxiē mìnglìngháng gōngjù ma?
Do you know how to use these command line tools?
Character Family
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 使 (shǐ) mean in Chinese?
How many strokes does 使 have?
What is the radical of 使?
What are the components of 使?
What are common words containing 使?
What characters sound the same as 使 (shǐ)?
Is 使 the same in simplified and traditional Chinese?
Practice writing 使 with real-time feedback
Trace stroke sequences, hear native pronunciation, and build lasting retention with spaced repetition in the HanziFeed app.