使唤

使喚

shǐhuan

verb HSK 7-9 #10,646

Meanings

1 to order someone around
2 to use; to put to work

Characters

to make; to use

to call; to summon

Literally 'command and call' — summoning someone to do your bidding.

Examples

别老使唤别人，自己动手。

Biélǎo shǐhuan biéren, zìjǐ dòngshǒu.

Stop ordering others around, do it yourself.

这把刀不好使唤了。

Zhè bǎ dāo bùhǎo shǐhuan le.

This knife doesn't work well anymore.

Tips

usage

使唤 has two distinct meanings: (1) ordering people around (often with a negative tone — 被人使唤 means being bossed around), and (2) using a tool or object (这个手机挺好使唤的, 'this phone works pretty well'). The second usage is colloquial and mostly northern.

Stroke Order

使 shǐ

唤 huàn