准许

• Pinyin: zhǔn xǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 准 = 冫 + 隹 (permit); 许 = 讠 + 午 (allow)

Meaning

To permit; to allow; to grant permission. Formal authorization for someone to do something.

A formal verb indicating official or authoritative permission. More formal than 允许, often used in legal, institutional, or official contexts. Implies the grantor has authority over the matter.

Examples

1. 未经准许，不得入内。 No entry without permission.
2. 法院准许被告保释。 The court granted bail to the defendant.
3. 学校准许学生提前离校。 The school allowed students to leave campus early.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, institutional, official

Tone: authoritative

Do Say

• 经上级准许，该项目正式启动。(With approval from superiors, the project officially commenced.)
• 海关准许旅客携带一定数量的免税商品。(Customs permits travelers to carry a certain amount of duty-free goods.)

Don't Say

• 妈妈准许我吃糖 — too formal for family contexts; use 让 or 同意

Origin & History

准 (to permit, standard) + 许 (to allow, to promise)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal