Definitions
Etymology
Depicts a bucket with a handle on the right side. Based on the original meaning "bucket". The meaning of this character has shifted over time and now means "use".
About
Originally depicting a wooden bell or bucket for drawing water, the character 用 now resembles a wooden fence or modified tripod cauldron. In its modern single-component form, it functions primarily as a verb meaning "to use" or "to employ". Its meaning evolved from the physical object to the action of utilizing objects, eventually encompassing abstract concepts like usefulness, expenses, and utility. As its grammatical role expanded, 用 also developed into a preposition indicating the tool or method for an action, similar to the English instrumental case.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我用筷子吃饭。
他常用电子邮件。
学习需要用心。
请用中文回答。
这种方法很实用。
我们必须合理用水。
她用幽默感化解了尴尬。
工程师们正在用新技术改进产品。