Both these words mean “to use” in Chinese, with the main difference being that 使用 (shǐyòng) is more formal while 用 (yòng) is more casual. Broken down both 使 (shǐ) and 用 (yòng) mean “to use”.
You will see 使用 (shǐyòng) used more often in written form, especially in official usage, while 用 (yòng) is common for spoken Chinese and is more casual. It is especially common to see 使用 (shǐyòng) used in company or government documents, manuals, text books, etc.
In most cases 用 (yòng) and 使用 (shǐyòng) are interchangeable, for example 用尺子。 (yòng chǐzi.) and 使用尺子 (shǐyòng chǐzi) both mean “use a ruler”.
用 and 使用 Examples
Here are some examples of 用 (yòng) and 使用 (shǐyòng)：
I can use chopsticks? 我会用筷子？ wǒ huì yòng kuàizi?
我 wǒ
I
会 huì
can
用 yòng
use
筷子 kuàizi
chopsticks
Please use this. 请使用这个。 qǐng shǐyòng zhège.
请。 qǐng.
please
用 yòng
use
这个 zhège
this
Use a ruler. 用尺子。 yòng chǐzi.
用 yòng
use
尺子 chǐzi
ruler
Use a ruler. 使用尺子。 shǐyòng chǐzi.
使用 shǐyòng
use
尺子 chǐzi
ruler
When driving, don’t use a mobile phone. 开车不要使用手机。 kāichē bùyào shǐyòng shǒujī.
开车 kāichē
(when) driving a card Here “when” is implied and isn’t explicitly included in the sentence. You can include “when” by adding 时候 (shíhou), that is 开车时候。。。 (kāichē shíhou...)
不要 bùyào
don’t Literally this is “not” 不 (bù) want 要 (yào)
使用 shǐyòng
use
手机 shǒujī
mobile phone Literally “hand” 手 (shǒu) + “phone“ 机 (jī). This is similar to some other countries such as Malaysia where you may hear people calling a mobile or cell phone a “hand phone”.
Use safety glasses 使用安全眼睛 shǐyòng ānquán yǎnjing
使用安全眼睛 shǐyòng ānquán yǎnjing
use
使用安全眼睛 shǐyòng ānquán yǎnjing
safety glasses Broken down this is “safety” 安全眼睛 (ānquán yǎnjing) + “glasses” 眼睛 (yǎnjing)
