使 means “use”

つかう · tsukau

Also: send on a mission, order, messenger

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

つかう, つかい

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

シ

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 3 · 8 strokes

The story

A person (亻) sent on official business: to use someone was first to send them. Now it reaches for everything in hand: chopsticks to 使う, and the 大使, the ambassador still "sent" abroad.

Used in 使う (tsukau, to use), 使い方 (tsukaikata, how to use), and 大使 (taishi, ambassador)

More from Motion & Change

• 始 begin
• 終 end
• 止 stop
• 転 revolve
• 起 wake
• 去 leave
• 注 pour
• 自 oneself
• 回 times
• 動 move
• 集 gather
• 別 separate

Learn 使 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.