Chinese Causative Verbs – jiào, ràng, shǐ and lìng

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, if you want to say that someone makes another person do something, or that something causes a feeling or action, you can use special words called causative verbs. The most common ones are 叫 jiào, 讓让 ràng, 使 shǐ, and 令 lìng. They all mean something like “make,” “let,” or “cause,” but they are used in different situations.

叫 jiào

S + 叫 jiào + person + verb phrase

It’s used in spoken, everyday situations, often when someone tells or orders another person to do something.

媽媽māma叫jiào我wǒ去qù睡覺shuìjiào妈妈māma叫jiào我wǒ去qù睡觉shuìjiào
Mom told me to go to bed.

老師lǎoshī叫jiào學生xuéshēng做zuò功課gōngkè老师lǎoshī叫jiào学生xuésheng做zuò功课gōngkè
The teacher told the students to do homework.

媽媽māma叫jiào我wǒ把bǎ垃圾lèsè拿ná出去chūqù， 但dàn我wǒ假裝jiǎzhuāng沒méi聽見tīngjiàn妈妈māma叫jiào我wǒ把bǎ垃圾lājī拿ná出去chūqù， 但dàn我wǒ假装jiǎzhuāng没méi听见tīngjiàn
My mom told me to take out the trash, but I pretended not to hear.

她tā叫jiào男朋友nánpéngyǒu每天měitiān早上zǎoshàng買mǎi咖啡kāfēi給gěi她tā她tā叫jiào男朋友nánpéngyou每天měitiān早上zǎoshang买mǎi咖啡kāfēi给gěi她tā
She makes her boyfriend buy her coffee every morning.

老闆lǎobǎn叫jiào我wǒ週末zhōumò去qù上班shàngbān， 有yǒu病bìng吧ba！ 老板lǎobǎn叫jiào我wǒ周末zhōumò去qù上班shàngbān， 有yǒu病bìng吧ba！
My boss told me to come to work on the weekend, is he crazy?!

讓让 ràng

S + 讓让 ràng + person + verb phrase / adjective

It’s also very common in daily use and can mean to allow, to cause, or to make someone feel something.

他tā讓ràng我wǒ很hěn感動gǎndòng他tā让ràng我wǒ很hěn感动gǎndòng
He moved me deeply (He made me feel touched).

老闆lǎobǎn讓ràng我wǒ今天jīntiān加班jiābān老板lǎobǎn让ràng我wǒ今天jīntiān加班jiābān
The boss made me work overtime today.

媽媽māma不bú讓ràng我wǒ出去chūqù妈妈māma不bú让ràng我wǒ出去chūqù
Mom didn’t allow me to go out.

這zhè杯bēi珍奶zhēnnǎi讓ràng我wǒ一yì整天zhěngtiān都dōu超chāo有yǒu精神jīngshén！这zhè杯bēi珍奶zhēnnǎi让ràng我wǒ一yì整天zhěngtiān都dōu超chāo有yǒu精神jīngshén！
This bubble tea gave me so much energy for the whole day!

她tā讓ràng我wǒ體會tǐhuì到dào什麼shénme叫jiào做zuò「 真愛zhēnài」 她tā让ràng我wǒ体会tǐhuì到dào什么shénme叫jiào做zuò“真爱zhēnài”
She made me understand what “true love” means.

使 shǐ

S + 使 shǐ + person/thing + verb phrase / adjective

It has a formal, written tone and is often used in texts, essays, or other formal contexts.

這zhè部bù電影diànyǐng使shǐ我wǒ哭kū了le这zhè部bù电影diànyǐng使shǐ我wǒ哭kū了le
This movie made me cry.

這zhè個ge改變gǎibiàn使shǐ我wǒ們men更gèng有yǒu效率xiàolǜ这zhè个ge改变gǎibiàn使shǐ我wǒ们men更gèng有yǒu效率xiàolǜ
This change made us more efficient.

這zhè次cì旅行lǚxíng使shǐ我們wǒmen的de關係guānxī更gèng親近qīnjìn了le这zhè次cì旅行lǚxíng使shǐ我们wǒmen的de关系guānxi更gèng亲近qīnjìn了le
This trip brought us closer.

網路wǎnglù的de發展fāzhǎn使shǐ溝通gōutōng變biàn得de更gèng方便fāngbiàn网络wǎngluò的de发展fāzhǎn使shǐ沟通gōutōng变biàn得de更gèng方便fāngbiàn
The development of the internet has made communication more convenient.

他tā的de一句yíjù話huà， 使shǐ我wǒ開始kāishǐ重新chóngxīn思考sīkǎo人生rénshēng他tā的de一句yíjù话huà， 使shǐ我wǒ开始kāishǐ重新chóngxīn思考sīkǎo人生rénshēng
One sentence from him made me rethink my life.

令 lìng

S + 令 lìng + person + adjective / emotion

It’s very formal, often used in news, speeches, or literature, and is similar to 使 shǐ but with a stronger or more emotional tone.

他tā的de話huà令人lìngrén感動gǎndòng他tā的de话huà令人lìngrén感动gǎndòng
His words were moving.

這zhè個ge消息xiāoxí令lìng人rén震驚zhènjīng这zhè个ge消息xiāoxī令lìng人rén震惊zhènliáng
This news is shocking.

他tā的de一舉一動yìjǔyídòng都dōu令lìng人rén著迷zháomí他tā的de一举一动yìjǔyídòng都dōu令lìng人rén着迷zháomí
His every move is captivating.

她tā的de笑容xiàoróng令lìng人rén難以忘懷nányǐwànghuái她tā的de笑容xiàoróng令lìng人rén难以忘怀nányǐwànghuái
Her smile is unforgettable.

川普chuānpǔ的de政策zhèngcè令lìng人rén不解bùjiě… 特朗普tèlǎngpǔ的de政策zhèngcè令lìng人rén不解bùjiě…
Trump’s policies are puzzling…