use in Chinese

How to write 用

Animated stroke order. Tap a character to replay its stroke order.

用 is listed in the official HSK vocabulary at HSK 3. An intermediate band: enough vocabulary for everyday conversation and travel.

用 in a sentence

• 我wǒ用yòng筷kuài子zi吃chī饭fàn。

  I use chopsticks to eat.

• 请qǐng用yòng笔bǐ写xiě字zì。

  Please write with a pen.

• 这zhè个gè怎zěn么me用yòng？

  How do you use this?

用 vs 使用 vs 利用

Similar and easily confused words, and how they differ.

• 使用 shǐ yòng to use (formal)

  Formal/written 'use' — 请使用软件 'please use the software'. 用 is the everyday word.

• 利用 lì yòng to utilize; to exploit

  Using something to advantage — 利用时间 'make use of time'; can also mean exploiting people — 被人利用 'get used'.