使
shǐ HSK 4

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

这个消息使我高兴。
Zhège xiāoxi shǐ wǒ gāoxìng.
This news makes me happy.
他使妹妹学习。
Tā shǐ mèimei xuéxí.
He makes his younger sister study.
音乐使人放松。
Yīnyuè shǐ rén fàngsōng.
Music makes people relax.
他使我快乐。
Tā shǐ wǒ kuàilè.
He makes me happy.
这使我很忙。
Zhè shǐ wǒ hěn máng.
This makes me very busy.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 使 as 'to cause an effect'—imagine a 'shǐ' (屎, meaning feces) making someone react strongly, but here it's more polite: use the pinyin 'shǐ' to remember it 'makes' things happen. Associate it with formal situations where you 'cause' change, like an ambassador (大使) influencing events.

📝 Usage Notes

使 is more formal and commonly used in written Chinese, such as in essays, reports, or literature, though it can appear in formal speech. It is less common in casual conversation, where words like '让' are preferred. It's often used to express causation in descriptive or analytical contexts.

📖 Grammar Points

使 is used in the structure: [Cause/Noun] + 使 + [Person/Thing] + [Verb/Adjective], where the cause leads to an action or state. For example, '困难使我们更坚强' (Difficulties make us stronger). It often appears in fixed expressions like '使人感动' (to move someone emotionally).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In classical Chinese, 使 was commonly used in philosophical and historical texts to denote causation or command, reflecting its formal tone. In modern contexts, it's associated with educated or official language, such as in government documents or academic writing.

🔄 Similar Words

使 is similar to 让 (ràng) and 叫 (jiào), which also mean 'to make' or 'to let,' but 使 is more formal and literary. 让 is neutral and widely used in both spoken and written Chinese, while 叫 is more informal and often used in commands. 使 emphasizes causation without the permission sense that 让 can have.

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