任命 (rèn mìng) — to appoint (someone to a position)

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liánhéSide by side

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

任rènassign
命mìngorder

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.

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.

Open 任 →

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.

Open 命 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6ManagementGovernment & Politics

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