使

See also: 便

Translingual

Han character

使 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+6, 8 strokes, cangjie input 人十中大 (OJLK), four-corner 2520₆, composition ⿰亻吏)

1. cause, send on a mission, order
2. envoy, messenger, ambassador

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

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Chinese

simp. and trad.		使
alternative forms		駛／驶 (sai2; Cantonese “need”) 洗 (sai2; Cantonese “need”)

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 使
Oracle bone script j19037 Bronze inscriptions b12363 b12364 Small seal script 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).

Characters in the same phonetic series (史) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	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).

Pronunciation 1

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 使

1. to order to do
2. to send; to dispatch
3. to let; to make; to cause to
4. to use; to employ
5. to play; to play with; to resort to; to dally with
6. to indulge
7. (Cantonese) need to [do something]; have to

   你唔使攞咁多！ [Cantonese, trad.]
   你唔使𫽋咁多！ [Cantonese, simp.]

   nei⁵ m⁴ sai² lo² gam³ do¹! [Jyutping]

   You don't need to get so much!

8. (Cantonese) need [something]; require; want strongly

Synonyms

• (Cantonese) (need): 需要 (xūyào)

Pronunciation 2

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 使

1. (historical) to send as an envoy abroad
2. envoy; messenger

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Japanese

Kanji

使

(Third grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: し (shi)
• Kan-on: し (shi)
• Kun: つか (tsuka), しむ (shimu), せしむ (seshimu), しめば (shimeba)

Compounds

• 大使館(たいしかん) (taishikan): embassy

• 天使(てんし) (tenshi): angel

Usage notes

使う (tsukau) is the most common word for "to use".

Noun

使(し) • (shi) 

1. messenger

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Korean

Hanja

使 • (sa, si) (hangeul 사, 시, revised sa, si, McCune–Reischauer sa, si)

1. (deprecated template usage) (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

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Vietnamese

Han character

(deprecated template usage) 使 (sứ, sử, sửa, thửa)

1. (deprecated template usage) (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Compounds

• 使者 (sứ giả)
• 使用 (sử dụng)

References

• Nom Foundation