许

Tap the pinyin to hear it

to allow; to permit; to promise; to praise; somewhat; perhaps

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

讠 meaning “speech” + 午 sound ( wǔ )

Components 讠午

permit · Heisig RSH #543

words + stick horse

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
书面许可	shū miàn xǔ kě	written permission; written authorization
应许之地	Yīng xǔ zhī Dì	Promised Land
以身许国	yǐ shēn xǔ guó	to dedicate oneself to the cause of one's country (idiom)
许地山	Xǔ Dì shān	Xu Dishan (1893-1941), journalist, publisher and novelist
以身相许	yǐ shēn xiāng xǔ	(of a woman) to give one's heart (to sb); (fig.) to devote oneself wholeheartedly to sb or…
通许县	Tōng xǔ Xiàn	Tongxu, a county in Kaifeng City 開封市\|开封市[Kai1 feng1 Shi4], Henan
特许经营	tè xǔ jīng yíng	franchised operation; franchising
特许权	tè xǔ quán	patent; franchise; concession
许可证	xǔ kě zhèng	license; authorization; permit
只许州官放火，不许百姓点灯	zhǐ xǔ zhōu guān fàng huǒ , bù xǔ bǎi xìng diǎn dēng	only the official is allowed to light the fire; Gods may do what cattle may not; quod lice…
不许	bù xǔ	not to allow; must not; can't
许下愿心	xǔ xià yuàn xīn	to express a wish (to a deity)
心许	xīn xǔ	to consent tacitly; unspoken approval
特许状	tè xǔ zhuàng	charter
许下	xǔ xià	to make a promise
不准许	bù zhǔn xǔ	forbidden; not allowed
特许	tè xǔ	license; licensed; concession; concessionary
开许	kāi xǔ	(literary) to allow; to permit
许多	xǔ duō	many; a lot of; much
通许	Tōng xǔ	see 通許縣\|通许县[Tong1 xu3 Xian4]

Characters sharing the sound component 午 — compare how they read.