许 (xǔ) - to allow & to permit

许Tone 3

xǔ ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 讠

信嫣

许 · xǔ

to allow;

to permit;

to promise;

to praise;

a surname;

approximately;

place name (Xu state in ancient China)

to allowto permitto promise

Usage highlights

AllowPromisePerhapsPraiseXu surnameXu state

Synonyms

  • 允— to permit, to allow
  • 准— to approve, to permit
  • 诺— to promise

Antonyms

  • 禁— to forbid, to prohibit
  • 拒— to refuse, to reject

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He promised to come tomorrow (许诺).
  • This is not allowed here (不允许).
  • Many people have the surname Xu (许姓).
  • The teacher praised his work (赞许).

Collocations

  • Allow(允许)
  • Promise(许诺)
  • Perhaps(也许)
  • Praise(赞许)
  • Xu surname(许姓)
  • Xu state(许国)

Idioms

  • Many promises but little action(许愿多还愿少)
  • To grant according to one's wish(许以心愿)
  • To set a high price(许以高价)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originated from the ancient Xu State during the Zhou dynasty, later became a surname.
  • In Chinese culture, '许' represents permission and commitment, often used in formal promises.
  • As a surname, Xu ranks among the top 30 most common surnames in China.

FAQ