使用
shǐ yòng HSK 4

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

请使用这个工具。
Qǐng shǐyòng zhège gōngjù.
Please use this tool.
他会使用电脑。
Tā huì shǐyòng diànnǎo.
He can use a computer.
使用手机很方便。
Shǐyòng shǒujī hěn fāngbiàn.
Using a phone is very convenient.
我使用手机。
Wǒ shǐyòng shǒujī.
I use a mobile phone.
他使用电脑。
Tā shǐyòng diànnǎo.
He uses a computer.

💡 Memory Tip

Break it down: 使 (shǐ) means 'to cause/make' and 用 (yòng) means 'to use.' Think: 'cause to use' → 'put into use.' Associate it with instruction manuals (使用手册) you see with new products.

📝 Usage Notes

This is a neutral, versatile word appropriate for both formal and informal contexts, and common in both spoken and written Chinese. It frequently appears in technical, instructional, and everyday situations involving tools, devices, software, or procedures.

📖 Grammar Points

使用 is a transitive verb (使用 + object). It can be modified by adverbs (e.g., 正确使用, 经常使用). It's commonly used in imperative or instructional sentences (e.g., 请使用这个功能).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In modern Chinese, 使用 is heavily associated with technology and consumer products. Instructions for appliances, software, and gadgets almost always use 使用, reflecting China's rapid technological adoption.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 用 (yòng), which is simpler and more colloquial, 使用 is slightly more formal and emphasizes the act of utilization. 利用 (lìyòng) means 'to utilize' but often implies making the most of something or exploiting a resource, sometimes with a strategic connotation.

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