任 meaning and stroke order
To assign; to appoint; to take up a post
How to write 任, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 任
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to assign
- to appoint
- to take up a post
- office
- responsibility
- to let
How 任 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Person.
亻 gives the meaning and 壬 hints at the sound.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 任
任 is pictophonetic: 亻 (person) gives the meaning and 壬 (rén) gives the sound. Picture a person standing next to 壬 and carrying a load, someone you trust to bear a duty.
任 appears mostly in compound words about duties, posts, and trust, such as 任务 (rènwu), 责任 (zérèn), and 担任 (dānrèn). It is also very common in 任何 (rènhé), meaning "any." Example: 他担任经理。(Tā dānrèn jīnglǐ.) He serves as the manager.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 任 (rèn) with 住 (zhù, to live). 任 has 壬 on the right, with a short top stroke and a long middle line. 住 has 主 on the right, with a dot on top. Also keep the fourth tone, rèn, not second tone like 人 (rén).
Common words with 任
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 任何 | rènhé | any; whatever; whichever | HSK 3 |
| 任务 | rènwu | mission; assignment; task; duty; role | HSK 3 |
| 信任 | xìnrèn | to trust; to have confidence in | HSK 3 |
| 责任 | zérèn | responsibility; duty; liability | HSK 3 |
| 主任 | zhǔrèn | director; head | HSK 3 |
| 担任 | dānrèn | to hold a governmental office or post; to assume office of | HSK 4 |
| 前任 | qiánrèn | predecessor; ex- | HSK 7-9 |
| 任命 | rènmìng | to appoint; (job) appointment | HSK 7-9 |
| 胜任 | shèngrèn | qualified; competent (professionally) | HSK 7-9 |
| 任意 | rènyì | any; arbitrary | HSK 7-9 |
| 上任 | shàngrèn | to take office; previous (incumbent) | HSK 7-9 |
| 任职 | rènzhí | to hold a post; to take office | HSK 7-9 |
| 责任感 | zérèngǎn | sense of responsibility | HSK 7-9 |
| 现任 | xiànrèn | to occupy a post currently; current (president etc); incumbent | HSK 7-9 |
任 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 任
Learning 任 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 任
How many strokes are in 任?
任 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 任 mean?
任 (rèn) means to assign; to appoint; to take up a post. A common word with it is 任何 (rènhé), meaning "any; whatever; whichever".
How do you pronounce 任?
任 is pronounced rèn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 任?
The radical of 任 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 任 under this radical.
Is 任 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 任 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
How do you use 任何 in a sentence?
任何 (rènhé) goes before a noun and often pairs with 都 or 也. Example: 任何人都可以参加。(Rènhé rén dōu kěyǐ cānjiā.) Anyone can take part.
Can 任 mean "to let" or "to allow"?
Yes. One of its senses is to let something happen freely, as in 任你选 (rèn nǐ xuǎn), "choose as you like." This use is more literary and appears in set phrases.