使
使 (shǐ) means “to make”. It is made of 亻 + 吏 and has 8 strokes, and is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 使 into its parts
What 使 is made of
- 亻 rén — person
- 吏 lì — government official
- 丈 zhàng — gentleman
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 又 yòu — (once) again
- 口 kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丈 zhàng — gentleman
Origin hint: A person 亻 working for the government 吏 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
使 stroke order
Example sentences
这个消息使大家很高兴。Zhège xiāoxi shǐ dàjiā hěn gāoxìng.This news made everyone very happy.
运动使人健康。Yùndòng shǐ rén jiànkāng.Exercise makes people healthy.
Words with 使
- 使用shǐyòngto use
- 大使馆dàshǐguǎnembassy
- 促使cùshǐto prompt
- 使劲shǐjìnto use force
- 即使jíshǐeven if
- 使劲儿shǐjìnrto exert oneself
- 使命shǐmìngmission
- 致使zhìshǐto cause
- 使馆shǐguǎnembassy
Also built with 亻
- 亿yìhundred million
- 什shénwhat? mixed
- 仁rénbenevolent
- 仅jǐnonly
- 仇chóuenemy
- 仍réngstill
- 仔zǐsmall thing
- 他tāhe
- 仗zhàng1to rely upon
- 付fùto pay
- 仙xiāngod
- 代dàion behalf of
Quick facts
| Pinyin | shǐ |
|---|---|
| Meaning | to make; to cause; to use |
| Strokes | 8 |
| Radical | 人 (person, #9) |
| Pattern | Left–right |
| HSK | HSK 4 (exam 2025) · HSK 3 (2021) · Old HSK 4 |
Questions about 使
What does 使 mean?
使 (shǐ) means “to make; to cause; to use”.
How many strokes does 使 have?
使 has 8 strokes.
What is the radical of 使?
The radical of 使 is 人 (rén, “person”), Kangxi radical number 9.
What parts make up 使?
使 is made of 亻 (person) and 吏 (government official).
Which HSK level is 使?
使 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 3 (2021) and Old HSK 4.
Learn 使 with its group
It is part of HSK 3 (2021) · Group 62: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.