委任 (wěi rèn) — to appoint, to assign (an official position) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Formal verb meaning to formally appoint or assign someone to an official post. Used in official, written, or institutional contexts rather than everyday speech.

verb

to appointto assign (an official position)

Examples

委任。
Gōng sī wěi rèn tā dān rèn xīn de xiàng mù jīng lǐ.
The company appointed him as the new project manager.
委任。
Tā qù nián bèi wěi rèn wèi zhù wài dà shǐ.
He was appointed ambassador abroad last year.
委任。
Zhè cì wěi rèn tǐ xiàn le shàng jí duì tā de xìn rèn.
This appointment shows the higher-ups' trust in him.

Origin

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.

禾女委

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

禾

禾hé委wěi

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

委 has 女 under 禾. 女, a woman, is the meaning part, and 禾 gives the sound.

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.

Appears in

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