命令

• Pinyin: mìng lìng
• Hanzi breakdown: 命 = 人 (person) + 口 (mouth) + 卩 — to order; 令 = 人 + 一 + 卩 — to command

Meaning

Order; command; to order. An authoritative instruction that must be obeyed.

Used in military, governmental, and organizational contexts. Can be a noun (an order) or a verb (to command). Implies authority and expectation of compliance. Related terms: 下命令 (to issue an order), 服从命令 (to obey orders).

Examples

1. 士兵必须服从长官的命令。 Soldiers must obey their officers' orders.
2. 老板命令所有员工周末加班。 The boss ordered all employees to work overtime on the weekend.
3. 这是来自上级的紧急命令。 This is an urgent order from the higher-ups.

Usage Guide

Context: military, workplace, authority

Tone: authoritative

Do Say

• 这是命令，不是请求。(This is an order, not a request.)
• 我命令你立刻停止。(I order you to stop immediately.)

Don't Say

• 说'我命令你帮我买咖啡'对朋友 (Don't use 命令 for casual requests to friends — use 请 or 能不能; 命令 sounds bossy and rude in informal contexts)

Origin & History

命 (life, fate, to order) + 令 (to command, to cause). Both characters contain notions of authority and instruction.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal