使用人

しようにん

employee, servant

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"使" refers to a person who is employed or hired to perform work, often translated as "employee" or "servant." It can denote both formal employees in a company and domestic servants, depending on context.

Common Contexts

This term is often used in formal or legal contexts to describe someone who works under an employer's direction. In everyday speech, it might sound somewhat old-fashioned or formal, especially when referring to domestic helpers.

Collocations and Patterns

Nuances

When using "使," the speaker often emphasizes the role of the person as being under employment or service. It is less personal than terms like "员" (employee) or "佣" (servant), carrying a slightly more formal or legal tone.

Common Confusion

Do not confuse "使" with "使" which means "user" (of a product or service). "使" specifically refers to a person employed or hired to work.

Example Sentences

This company has many employees responsible for different tasks.

The servant in his house cleans the rooms every morning.

The boss is very strict with the employees.