使

8 strokes
Jouyou kanji
Taught in 3rd grade
JLPT exam level N4

use, send on a mission, order, messenger, envoy, ambassador, cause

Kun'yomi
  • つかう
    		to use (a tool, method, etc.) ②to use (a person, animal, puppet, etc.) ③to use (time, money, etc.) ④to use (language)
  • つかい
    		errand ②messenger ③use
  • -つかい
  • -づかい
On'yomi
  • シ
    		messenger ②police and judicial chief (Heian and Kamakura periods) ③klesha (polluting thoughts such as greed, hatred and delusion, which result in suffering)

Main Radical

人(KanXi)

Reading Commonality

つかうつかい-つかい-づかい 74.1%
シ 25.9%

Character Breakdown

use, send on a mission, order
つか.う　シ (3rd, N4)
human radical (no. 9)
officer, an official
リ　さと　し (8th, N1)
length, ten shaku, measure
ジョウ　たけ　とも (7th)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
mow, cut grass, subdue
ガイ　ゲ　おさ.める (Kentei 1)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)

Common Words

つか
使
　
う
to use (a tool, method, etc.) ②to use (a person, animal, puppet, etc.) ③to use (time, money, etc.) ④to use (language)
つか
使
　
え
　
る
to be usable
てん
天
し
使
angel
し
使
よう
用
use
し
使
messenger ②police and judicial chief (Heian and Kamakura periods) ③klesha (polluting thoughts such as greed, hatred and delusion, which result in suffering)
つか
使
　
い
errand ②messenger ③use
ま
魔
ほう
法
つか
使
　
い
magician
つか
使
　
い
　
こ
　
な
　
す
to handle (men)
つか
使
　
い
かた
方
way of using (something) ②way of handling (employees, subordinates, etc.)
つか
使
　
い
て
手
user ②master (e.g. of swordsmanship) ③prodigal
More Words...

References

Unicode hex code 4F7F
JIS X 0208 1-27-40
Nelson, A. Classic Nelson 432
Haig, J. New Nelson Japanese-English Character Dictionary 196
Halpern, J. New Japanese-English Character Dictionary 90
Halpern, J. Kodansha Kanji Dictionary 100
Halpern, J. Kanji Learners Dictionary (Kodansha) 68
Halpern, J. Kanji Learners Dictionary (Kodansha), 2nd edition (2013) 72
Heisig, J. Remembering The Kanji 990
Heisig, J. Remembering The Kanji, Sixth Ed. 1065
Gakken A New Dictionary of Kanji Usage 226
O'Neill, P.G. Japanese Names 556
O'Neill, P.G. Essential Kanji 210
Morohashi Daikanwajiten 573
Henshall, K. A Guide To Remembering Japanese Characters 287
Spahn and Hadamitzky Kanji and Kana 331
Spahn and Hadamitzky Kanji and Kana (2011 edition) 331
Sakade, F. A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese 224
Hodges & Okazaki Japanese Kanji Flashcards 117
Henshall & De Groot A Guide To Reading and Writing Japanese, 3rd ed. 303
Kask, A. Tuttle Kanji Cards 298
Crowley, D. The Kanji Way to Japanese Language Power 239
Nishiguchi & Kono Kanji in Context 199
AJLT Japanese For Busy People vols I-III 2.3
Kodansha Kodansha Compact Kanji Guide 89
Maniette, Y. Les Kanjis dans la tete 999
Tuttle Dictionary Descriptor Code 2a6.2
Four corner code 2520.6
De Roo Code 2166