使用权 (shǐ yòng quán) — right of use; right to use something

Definition

Legal term for the 'right to use' a property or asset without owning it. Pairs with 拥有 'to hold' rather than 所有权 'ownership right' (the right to own itself).

noun
right of useright to use something

Examples

  • 使用权。
    Tā yǒu zhè ge fáng zi de shǐ yòng quán.
    He has the right to use this house.
  • ，使用权。
    Nǐ mǎi zhè ge ruǎn jiàn, jiù yǒu le shǐ yòng quán.
    If you buy this software, you have the right to use it.
  • 使用权。
    Gōng sī yōng yǒu zhè piàn tǔ dì de shǐ yòng quán.
    The company has the right to use this piece of land.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

使用use
使shǐuse用yònguse
联合Side by side
权quánright

The idea of 使用, using something, combines with 权, a right, to mean a right to use.

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.

Open 使 →

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

用 was formed by adding a handle to an earlier form.

Open 用 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 權; 权 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
雚
雚guàn權quán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 權 shows 木, a tree, with 雚 giving the sound; it named a kind of tree and was used for a standard weight. The simplified 权 is a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 权 →
Appears in
Rights & CitizenshipLaw & Justice

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