任命 (rèn mìng) — to appoint (someone to a position) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Official/formal verb for appointing someone to a post. Compared with 提名 (nominate for consideration), 任命 is the final decision putting them in the role; 聘任 is similar but stresses a formal contract/hiring.

verb

to appoint (someone to a position)

Measure word · 纸

Examples

任命。
Gōng sī rèn mìng le yí wèi xīn jīng lǐ.
The company appointed a new manager.
任命。
Tā bèi rèn mìng wèi bù mén zhǔ guǎn.
He was appointed as the department head.
任命。
Zhèng fǔ rèn mìng le yí wèi xīn de wài jiāo bù zhǎng.
The government appointed a new foreign minister.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

Both 任 and 命 carry the idea of assigning and ordering, giving the sense of appointing someone to a post.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

亻壬任

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

壬

壬rén任rèn

Same sound today

任 pairs 亻, a person, with 壬, which may picture a shoulder pole turned sideways.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

令

令lìng命mìng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Management Government & Politics

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.