Chinese character · HSK 3
任 (rèn) — “to appoint / responsibility”
The character combines 'person' (亻) and 'burden/office' (壬), symbolizing a person taking on an official duty, mandate, or responsibility.
How to remember 任
A person respectfully accepts the red seal of official appointment and heavy responsibility.
Inside the character
- 亻 (person) — meaning component. Often marks a person, human action, or body posture.
- 壬 — sound component.
Where 任 comes from
A phono-semantic compound where 亻 (person) provides the semantic context of human action, and 壬 (rén) provides the pronunciation while also historically implying a person carrying a heavy load or burden.
Words that use 任
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 任何 | rèn hé | any / whatever | HSK 3 |
| 任务 | rèn wu | mission / assignment | HSK 3 |
| 责任 | zé rèn | responsibility / blame | HSK 3 |
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More characters: 休 (xiū, to rest) · 伞 (sǎn, umbrella) · 供 (gòng / gōng, to offer / to provide) — or browse the full character library.