Chinese word

让

Pronunciation

Pinyinràng

Meaning

  • verblet

Example

妈妈不让我出去。mā mā bú ràng wǒ chū qù

Mom doesn't let me go out.

Illustration for 让 (let)

More examples

医生让她休息一天。yī shēng ràng tā xiū xī yì tiān

The doctor let her rest for one day.

Core concept

A person opens a path for another person to act, choose, or take a place.

Common phrases

  • 让他走ràng tā zǒu

    let him leave

  • 让我看ràng wǒ kàn

    let me see

  • 让她休息ràng tā xiū xī

    let her take a rest

Similar words

允许yún xǔ: Permits an action by saying that it is acceptable.
叫jiào: Instructs someone to carry out an action.

Definition in Chinese

同意、允许别人做某事，或主动把物品、位置、权利等让给他人；也可表示使役，让某人做某事。tóng yì yún xǔ bié rén zuò mǒu shì huò zhǔ dòng bǎ wù pǐn wèi zhì quán lì děng ràng gěi tā rén yě kě biǎo shì shǐ yì ràng mǒu rén zuò mǒu shì

Word origin

The word 让 (ràng, "let") developed from the older idea of yielding a place or advantage, which naturally extended to allowing another person's action.

Usage tips

  • With this word before a person and a verb, the person in the middle is the doer of the second action, which helps English-speaking children avoid putting the wrong person in the sentence.

Other meanings

  • makeverb
  • give wayverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word