差遣 (chāiqiǎn - to send on an errand, to dispatch)
Grammar & Usage
How it works
差遣 is a formal transitive verb meaning to send someone to perform a specific task or mission. It typically takes an animate object (usually a person) representing the one being dispatched. It frequently appears in polite set phrases indicating willingness to serve, as well as in historical or religious narratives.
Sample sentences
如果您有任何需要，我随时听候差遣。
If you have any needs, I am at your service at any time.
国王差遣使者前往邻国商讨和平协议。
The king dispatched an envoy to the neighboring country to negotiate a peace treaty.
他不想一辈子受人差遣，因此决定自己创业。
He did not want to spend his whole life being ordered around by others, so he decided to start his own business.
Quick facts
Mnemonic
Sounds like "The character 差 is polyphonic (chā, chà, cī, chāi); in this term it must be read as chāi." — sign in for a creative story that makes this stick!
Get an AI-generated memory hook for 差遣 (chāiqiǎn - to send on an errand, to dispatch) — a vivid scene that locks the word in your brain 🧠
Example
如果您有任何需要，我随时听候差遣。
If you have any needs, I am at your service at any time.
国王差遣使者前往邻国商讨和平协议。
The king dispatched an envoy to the neighboring country to negotiate a peace treaty.
Sign in for AI-generated examples tailored to your level ✨