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許 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
許xǔto consent, to permit; to promise, to betrothzg, 11 strokes, radical 言
xǔ(xu3) T3
  1. 1to consent, to permit; to promise, to betroth
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March 24, 2026

許xǔ(xu3)

The character 許 (xǔ) primarily means 'to consent' or 'to permit' and is often used in contexts involving agreements or permissions. It can also mean 'to promise' or 'to betroth,' indicating a commitment or assurance to another party. This character is commonly found in both formal and informal situations, especially in legal or contractual language.

Strokes11Radical言
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, making promises or giving consent is often seen as a binding commitment, especially in familial and social contexts. The concept of 'betrothal' (許婚) reflects traditional values surrounding marriage and familial arrangements.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person standing at a gate (the radical 言 represents speech) giving a nod (許) to allow someone to pass through. The nod signifies consent, while the gate represents permission. The sound 'xǔ' can remind you of 'sure,' which aligns with the idea of granting permission or agreement.

Meanings of 許

xǔ(xu3)
1to consent, to permit; to promise, to betroth
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 許

許Simplified
11Strokes
言Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 許

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Podcast: 許

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AI Study Notes for 許

Quick Contrast

准 (zhǔn) — use 許 (xǔ) for consent or permission in agreements, while 准 (zhǔn) emphasizes accuracy or standards.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 許 (xǔ) with 许 (xǔ, simplified), which has a similar pronunciation but often relates to a common surname. In formal contexts, it's essential to use it in the right tone and setting, especially when discussing promises or agreements. Common collocations include '許可' (xǔ kě - to permit) and '許願' (xǔ yuàn - to make a wish).

HSK Study Tips

Although 許 is not listed in the HSK levels, it connects well with HSK 4 vocabulary related to permissions and promises, such as 同意 (tóng yì - to agree) and 承诺 (chéng nuò - to promise). Students should focus on its usage in everyday conversations and written contexts involving agreements.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 許 (xǔ) with 允许 (yǔnxǔ), which also means 'to permit' but is more general. For example, saying '我许你去' instead of '我允许你去' is incorrect; you should use the appropriate term based on the context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 許

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Etymology of 許

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 許. Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 午 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

speech

Semantic (meaning)言
+
Phonetic (sound)午
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 許

Simplified form of 許. Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 午 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half言 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half午 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayspeech
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 許? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 許?

Decomposition of 許

IDS Structure⿰言午
許Full Character
=
言yan2
left
午wu3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 許?

How to say to consent, to permit; to promise, to betroth in Chinese

“to consent, to permit; to promise, to betroth” in Chinese is許xǔ

The character 許 (xǔ) primarily means 'to consent' or 'to permit' and is often used in contexts involving agreements or permissions. It can also mean 'to promise' or 'to betroth,' indicating a commitment or assurance to another party. This character is commonly found in both formal and informal situations, especially in legal or contractual language.

When to use 許

Be careful not to confuse 許 (xǔ) with 许 (xǔ, simplified), which has a similar pronunciation but often relates to a common surname. In formal contexts, it's essential to use it in the right tone and setting, especially when discussing promises or agreements. Common collocations include '許可' (xǔ kě - to permit) and '許願' (xǔ yuàn - to make a wish).

許 or something close to it

准 (zhǔn) — use 許 (xǔ) for consent or permission in agreements, while 准 (zhǔn) emphasizes accuracy or standards.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 許 (xǔ) with 允许 (yǔnxǔ), which also means 'to permit' but is more general. For example, saying '我许你去' instead of '我允许你去' is incorrect; you should use the appropriate term based on the context.

Write 許

許

Practice writing 許 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 許

Words Containing This Character20
也许yěxǔperhaps也許
许多xǔduōmany許多
或许huòxǔperhaps或許
允许yǔnxǔto permit允許
许Xǔto allow許
不许bùxǔnot to allow不許
许可xǔkěto allow許可
许可证xǔkězhènglicense許可證
少许a little少許
特许license特許
许愿to make a wish許願
许久for ages許久
些许a few些許
许诺promise許諾
容许róngxǔto permit容許
准许zhǔnxǔto allow准許
许下to make a promise許下
赞许zànxǔto praise讚許
默许acquiescence默許
兴许perhaps興許
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 也许 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 許

You can use 許 to express consent, for example: '我許可你去派對' (Wǒ xǔkě nǐ qù pàiduì) means 'I permit you to go to the party.'

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