Chinese word

命令

Pronunciation

Pinyinmìng lìng

Meaning

  • verborder

Example

老板命令他立刻离开。láo bǎn mìng lìng tā lì kè lí kāi

The boss ordered him to leave immediately.

Illustration for 命令 (order)

More examples

将军命令士兵撤退。jiāng jūn mìng lìng shì bīng chè tuì

The general ordered the soldiers to retreat.

Core concept

Authority flows downward as a higher-ranking person makes someone carry out a specific action.

Common phrases

  • 命令他离开mìng lìng tā lí kāi

    order him to leave

  • 命令士兵前进mìng lìng shì bīng qián jìn

    order the soldiers to advance

  • 被命令去做bèi mìng lìng qù zuò

    be ordered to do it

Similar words

指示zhǐ shì: Tell someone clearly what steps or methods to follow.
请求qǐng qiú: Politely ask someone to do something.
指挥zhǐ huī: Direct people or an organization by assigning roles and coordinating their actions.
嘱咐zhǔ fù: Remind someone of important points or methods so they take care.

Definition in Chinese

以较高的地位或权力，通过言语或行为要求他人按照自己的意思去做某事。yǐ jiào gāo de dì wèi huò quán lì tōng guò yán yǔ huò xíng wéi yāo qiú tā rén àn zhào zì jǐ de yì si qù zuò mǒu shì

Word origin

命 (mìng, "to order") + 令 (lìng, "to command") combines two command-related elements, reinforcing the sense of an authoritative demand.

Usage tips

  • For conversational requests, 请 (qǐng, "please") and 能不能 (néng bu néng, "can... or not") signal a request rather than an order, especially when speaking to friends or service workers.

Other meanings

  • commandnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 命令书mìng lìng shūwritten ordernoun
  • 命令权mìng lìng quánauthority to commandnoun

Word lists with this word