TraceHanzi

使用 meaning in English

shǐyòng

to use; to employ

HSK 2verb13 strokes

Meaning of 使用

Definitions from CC-CEDICT.

shǐyòng
  1. to use
  2. to employ
  3. to apply
  4. to make use of

How to use 使用

使用 is a slightly more formal version of 用 and often appears in instructions, signs and written Chinese. It usually takes a concrete object like a tool, a product or a language. Example: 请正确使用电梯。(Qǐng zhèngquè shǐyòng diàntī.) Please use the elevator properly.

使 (shǐ) has the person radical 亻 and means to make someone do something, and 用 (yòng) means to use. Put them together and you put a tool or person to work: 使用 means to use.

Common mistake: Learners often write 使 as 便 or 史 because the right side looks similar. Check that the right side of 使 is 吏. Another trap is using 使用 for people in a negative sense. To take advantage of someone, Chinese uses 利用 (lìyòng), not 使用.

使用 in example sentences

Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.

您nín可kě以yǐ使shǐ用yòng此cǐ电diàn话huà。
You can use this phone.
你nǐ知zhī道dào怎zěn么me使shǐ用yòng吗ma？
Do you know how to use this?
Mac知zhī道dào如rú何hé使shǐ用yòng这zhè台tái电diàn脑nǎo。
Mac knows how to use this computer.
使shǐ用yòng它tā或huò失shī去qù它tā。
Use it or lose it.
工gōng程chéng师shī告gào诉sù我wǒ们men如rú何hé使shǐ用yòng机jī器qì。
The engineer told us how to use the machine.

Stroke order for each character

Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.

使 shǐ · to make · 8 strokes

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8

用 yòng · to use · 5 strokes

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Related words

Words that share a character with 使用.

不用bùyòngneed not
有用yǒuyònguseful
作用zuòyòngto act on; to affect; action; function; activity
信用卡xìnyòngkǎcredit card
常用cháng yòngin common usage
利用lìyòngto exploit; to make use of
没用méiyònguseless
费用fèiyongcost; expenditure
大使馆dàshǐguǎnembassy
采用cǎiyòngto adopt; to employ
适用shìyòngto be applicable
应用yìngyòngto put to use; to apply; practical; applied (science, linguistics etc)

Questions about 使用

What does 使用 mean?

使用 (shǐyòng) means "to use; to employ" and is used as a verb.

How do you write 使用?

使用 is made of 2 characters: 使 (8 strokes), 用 (5 strokes). That is 13 strokes in total.

Is 使用 an HSK word?

Yes. 使用 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.

What is the difference between 使用 and 用?

They mean the same thing, but 用 is short and casual, while 使用 sounds more formal and is common in writing, manuals and notices. In everyday speech, 我用一下你的笔 sounds more natural than 我使用一下你的笔.

Can 使用 be used as a noun?

Yes. It often works like a noun meaning use or usage, as in 使用方法 (shǐyòng fāngfǎ) instructions for use, or 使用说明 (shǐyòng shuōmíng) user manual.

大人Previous in HSK 2dàren