任命

• Pinyin: rèn mìng
• Hanzi breakdown: 任 = 亻+ 壬 (person + load = to carry responsibility); 命 = 口 + 令 (mouth + command = order)

Meaning

To appoint; to officially designate a person to a position or role, typically by an authority.

Used in governmental, corporate, and institutional contexts. The appointment is usually made by a superior authority and carries official weight. Distinguishable from 选举 (elect by vote) and 推荐 (recommend).

Examples

1. 董事会正式任命她为公司新任首席执行官。 The board of directors officially appointed her as the company’s new CEO.
2. 总统任命了三位新内阁部长，引发各界广泛关注。 The president appointed three new cabinet ministers, drawing widespread attention from all quarters.
3. 他被任命为驻外大使，即将赴任。 He was appointed ambassador abroad and will take up the post soon.

Usage Guide

Context: government, business, organisations

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 经全体委员投票，他被一致任命为工作组组长。(Following a vote by all committee members, he was unanimously appointed as head of the working group.)
• 该校校长由教育局直接任命，任期三年。(The school principal is directly appointed by the Education Bureau for a three-year term.)

Don't Say

• 我自己任命自己当负责人 — 任命 requires an authority appointing another person; say 我自告奋勇担任负责人 (I volunteered to take charge) or 我自封为负责人

Origin & History

任 (entrust/assign) + 命 (order/command)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal