致使 (zhì shǐ) — (verb) to cause, to lead to (a negative outcome… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

致使 is a formal verb/conjunction used in writing for serious, often negative consequences — stronger and more weighty than 引起 or 造成, which are more neutral. As a conjunction, it links cause to result; as a verb, it takes a direct object.

verb

to causeto lead to (a negative outcome)

conjunction

so thatas a resultthereby causing

Examples

致使。
Guǎn lǐ bú shàn zhì shǐ gōng sī pò chǎn.
Poor management caused the company to go bankrupt.
，致使。
Tā lián xù jiā bān, zhì shǐ shēn tǐ yuè lái yuè chà.
He worked overtime continuously, so his health got worse and worse.
致使，。
Bào yǔ zhì shǐ hé shuǐ shàng zhǎng, yān mò le nóng tián.
The heavy rain caused the river to rise and flooded the farmland.

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 致 and 使 express causing, so together they mean to bring about a result.

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.

至攵致

Meaning part形符xíngfú

攵Written in full as攴pū

Sound part声符shēngfú

至

至zhì致zhì

Same sound today

致 pairs 至, used for its sound, with 攵, written in full as 攴.

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

亻吏使

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

吏

吏lì使shǐ

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

使 pairs 亻 (person) with 吏, which pictures a hand holding something like a flag, giving the sense of a representative or ambassador.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Cause, Effect & Logic

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