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HSK 3

用

to use; with; by means of

verbneutral1 episode
用
yòng4th tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
yòng
Part of speech
verb
Level
HSK 3
Strokes
5
Register
neutral
In episodes
1

Stroke order for 用

用 is written with 5 strokes. The animation replays automatically.

What does 用 mean?

用 (yòng) is the basic Chinese verb 'to use' and also a coverb meaning 'with / by means of.'

As a verb: 我用电脑工作 ('I use a computer to work'). As a coverb introducing the instrument: 用筷子吃饭 ('eat with chopsticks'), 用中文写 ('write in Chinese'). Word order is fixed — 用 + tool + main verb — and is the standard way Chinese expresses 'with / using,' since there is no preposition equivalent to English 'with.'

Other key uses: the negative 不用 means 'no need to / don't have to' (不用谢 — 'no need to thank me / you're welcome'); 有用 means 'useful' and 没用 means 'useless'; 用功 means 'hardworking / diligent.' 用 also appears in many compounds related to function and purpose (作用, 使用, 用法).

Hear 用 in real episodes

用 appears in 1 Fluentide podcast episode at natural native speed — each with the full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.

The Oldest US Senator Wrote a Farewell to His 49-Year-Old Vacuum Cleaner. Its Name Was Beth.用 spoken at natural speedbeginner
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Example sentences

我用手机看新闻。

Wǒ yòng shǒujī kàn xīnwén.

I use my phone to read the news.

spoken

你会用筷子吗？

Nǐ huì yòng kuàizi ma?

Do you know how to use chopsticks?

spoken

谢谢！——不用谢。

Xièxie! — Búyòng xiè.

Thanks! — You're welcome.

spoken

请用中文回答。

Qǐng yòng Zhōngwén huídá.

Please answer in Chinese.

neutral

这本词典很有用。

Zhè běn cídiǎn hěn yǒuyòng.

This dictionary is very useful.

neutral

Common phrases with 用

不用谢búyòng xièyou're welcome (no need to thank)
用筷子yòng kuàiziuse chopsticks
有用yǒuyònguseful
没用méiyònguseless
用中文yòng Zhōngwénin Chinese; using Chinese

Synonyms

使用shǐyòng

使用 is the formal two-character version of 'to use' — for written instructions, manuals, and formal speech. 使用方法 ('how to use'). In daily speech, 用 is the default.

拿ná

拿 means 'to take / hold (in hand).' Sometimes overlaps with 用 — 用筷子 ≈ 拿筷子 in casual speech — but 拿 emphasizes physical grasping, 用 emphasizes function.

Don't confuse 用 with

有yǒu

有 means 'to have / there is.' Sounds nothing alike to native ears but the characters look similar to beginners. 我有钱 ('I have money') vs 我用钱 ('I use money').

拥yōng

拥 (in 拥有 yōngyǒu 'to possess') sounds close to 用 but is a different character. Don't substitute one for the other.

需要xūyào

需要 is 'to need.' Don't confuse 不需要 ('don't need') with 不用 ('no need to / don't have to') — the latter is more colloquial and softer, often used to wave off thanks or offers.

FAQ

Related words from the same episodes

坏to break家里at home老old美国America岁years of age它it吸尘器vacuum cleaner想to think of, to miss写to write再again最most

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