How to Write 使 (shǐ) — Meaning “to use; to make; to cause; envoy”

Think of a person (亻) saying 'she' (sounds like shǐ) to an official (吏) to make them do a job. Or imagine the right part 吏 as a 'tool' the person uses, since 使 means 'to use'.

Write the left radical 亻 first (left-falling stroke, then vertical line). Then write the right part 吏: start with the top horizontal, then the 'mouth' shape inside, and finish with the bottom stroke. A common mistake is making the right part too wide or mixing up the order of the inner strokes.

使 has the right part 吏 (official), while 仰 has 卬 (a kneeling person) and 仲 has 中 (center). Visually, 使 has a closed 'mouth' shape inside the right side, but 仰 has an open top, and 仲 has a simple cross.

使 is very common in words like 使用 (to use), 使劲 (to put in effort), and 天使 (angel, literally 'heavenly envoy'). In culture, 天使 is a popular word for angels in movies, music, and daily life, borrowed from Western ideas.

Common words containing 使 include: 使用 (shǐ yòng) — to use; to employ; 使劲 (shǐ jìn) — to exert oneself; to put in effort; 天使 (tiān shǐ) — Angel.