shòuquán: 授权 - Authorize, Grant Authority, Empower

• Keywords: shouquan, shòuquán, 授权, authorize in Chinese, grant permission Chinese, empower in Chinese, license in Chinese, Chinese word for authorization, shou quan meaning, 授权 meaning, formal permission, legal authority
• Summary: Learn the crucial Chinese term 授权 (shòuquán), which means to authorize, empower, or grant authority. This page breaks down its meaning, from business and legal contexts to tech and app permissions. Understand how 授权 (shòuquán) is used in modern China, its cultural significance related to hierarchy, and how it differs from simple “permission.” This guide is essential for anyone navigating formal or professional situations in Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shòuquán
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To formally grant power, rights, or permission to someone or something; authorization.
• In a Nutshell: 授权 (shòuquán) is not your everyday, casual permission. It's a formal act of bestowing authority. Think of it as officially handing over a key. A manager 授权 (shòuquán) an employee to sign a contract. You 授权 (shòuquán) an app to access your contacts. It implies a transfer of power from someone who has it to someone who needs it to perform a specific action.

• 授 (shòu): To grant, to give, to award. This character contains the “hand” radical (手), depicting the action of one person giving something to another.
• 权 (quán): Power, authority, rights. This character is fundamental to concepts of control and influence in Chinese.
• Together, 授权 (shòuquán) literally means “to give power” or “to grant authority,” a direct and accurate representation of its modern meaning.

While “authorization” is a universal concept, 授权 (shòuquán) in China is deeply tied to the cultural importance of hierarchy and official procedure. In many Western contexts, authorization might be a procedural step. In China, it is a clear act reinforcing a hierarchical structure. The person who can 授权 (shòuquán) is explicitly the one with the 权 (quán), or power. This act is often not complete with a mere verbal agreement or email. It frequently requires a formal document, and most importantly, the company's official red seal or chop (公章 - gōngzhāng). Attempting to act without the proper, formally documented 授权 is a serious misstep, as it's seen as circumventing the established chain of command and showing disrespect for the hierarchy. This contrasts with some Western business cultures where a degree of empowered autonomy might be more assumed. In China, it's safer and more respectful to always seek explicit 授权.

授权 (shòuquán) is a formal and very common term in professional, legal, and digital life.

• In Business: This is its most common habitat. A superior 授权 (shòuquán) a subordinate. A head office 授权 (shòuquán) a branch office. It's used for delegating tasks, approving expenditures, and giving someone the power to act on behalf of the company. A formal “letter of authorization” is an 授权书 (shòuquánshū).
• In Technology: Every time you install an app and it asks for permission to access your camera, contacts, or location, you are being asked to 授权 it. The pop-up button often says “允许” (yǔnxǔ - permit), but the underlying concept is 授权.
• In Law: It's used for granting power of attorney, where someone is legally authorized to act on another's behalf.
• In Intellectual Property (IP): This refers to licensing. Disney might 授权 a Chinese company to produce and sell toys with Mickey Mouse on them. These are called 官方授权 (guānfāng shòuquán) products, or “officially authorized” products.

• Example 1:
  • 我授权你代表公司签署这份合同。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ shòuquán nǐ dàibiǎo gōngsī qiānshǔ zhè fèn hétong.
  • English: I authorize you to sign this contract on behalf of the company.
  • Analysis: A classic business example. A person in a position of power is formally granting a subordinate the right to perform a specific, high-stakes action.
• Example 2:
  • 这个应用请求授权以访问您的相册。
  • Pinyin: Zhège yìngyòng qǐngqiú shòuquán yǐ fǎngwèn nín de xiàngcè.
  • English: This application requests authorization to access your photo album.
  • Analysis: This sentence demonstrates the use of 授权 in a technology context. Here, it functions as a noun, “authorization.”
• Example 3:
  • 未经授权，任何人不得进入该区域。
  • Pinyin: Wèi jīng shòuquán, rènhé rén bùdé jìnrù gāi qūyù.
  • English: Without authorization, no one is permitted to enter this area.
  • Analysis: A formal, official warning. This highlights the negative form, “without authorization,” and its use as a noun.
• Example 4:
  • 他已经授权给他的律师处理所有法律事务。
  • Pinyin: Tā yǐjīng shòuquán gěi tā de lǜshī chǔlǐ suǒyǒu fǎlǜ shìwù.
  • English: He has already authorized his lawyer to handle all legal affairs.
  • Analysis: This is a typical legal use of the term, equivalent to granting power of attorney.
• Example 5:
  • 这家商店只卖官方授权的商品。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā shāngdiàn zhǐ mài guānfāng shòuquán de shāngpǐn.
  • English: This shop only sells officially authorized merchandise.
  • Analysis: Here, 授权 is used as part of an adjective phrase modifying “merchandise.” This is very common in the context of brand licensing and intellectual property.
• Example 6:
  • 你需要拿到经理的授权书才能提取这笔资金。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xūyào nádào jīnglǐ de shòuquánshū cáinéng tíqǔ zhè bǐ zījīn.
  • English: You need to get a letter of authorization from the manager to be able to withdraw these funds.
  • Analysis: This example introduces the compound noun 授权书 (shòuquánshū), the physical document that proves authorization.
• Example 7:
  • 总公司撤销了对分公司的销售授权。
  • Pinyin: Zǒnggōngsī chèxiāo le duì fēngōngsī de xiāoshòu shòuquán.
  • English: The head office revoked the sales authorization for the branch office.
  • Analysis: This shows that authorization can be taken away. “撤销授权 (chèxiāo shòuquán)” means “to revoke authorization.”
• Example 8:
  • 董事会授权成立一个特别调查委员会。
  • Pinyin: Dǒngshìhuì shòuquán chénglì yī gè tèbié diàochá wěiyuánhuì.
  • English: The board of directors authorized the establishment of a special investigation committee.
  • Analysis: This shows authorization at a high corporate or organizational level, granting the power to create a new entity.
• Example 9:
  • 我的授权范围是什么？
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de shòuquán fànwéi shì shénme?
  • English: What is the scope of my authorization?
  • Analysis: A practical and important question in a professional setting. It highlights that authorization often comes with limits (范围 - fànwéi).
• Example 10:
  • 他被授权可以完全访问该项目的所有文件。
  • Pinyin: Tā bèi shòuquán kěyǐ wánquán fǎngwèn gāi xiàngmù de suǒyǒu wénjiàn.
  • Tā bèi shòuquán kěyǐ wánquán fǎngwèn gāi xiàngmù de suǒyǒu wénjiàn.
  • English: He was authorized to have full access to all of the project's files.
  • Analysis: This uses the passive structure 被 (bèi), which is very common with 授权. It emphasizes the person receiving the authorization.

A common pitfall for learners is confusing 授权 (shòuquán) with more general words for permission, like 允许 (yǔnxǔ) or 同意 (tóngyì).

• 授权 (shòuquán): Formal transfer of authority/power/rights. It's hierarchical. (A boss 授权 an employee).
• 允许 (yǔnxǔ): To permit, to allow. More general and can be informal. It's about letting someone do something, not necessarily giving them power. (A mother 允许 her child to go out and play).
• 同意 (tóngyì): To agree, to consent. It's about being of the same opinion, not about granting permission from a position of power. (Two colleagues 同意 on a plan).

Incorrect Usage: You want to borrow your friend's pen.

• Wrong: 请授权我用你的笔。 (Qǐng shòuquán wǒ yòng nǐ de bǐ.) - This sounds absurdly formal and robotic, as if you're asking your friend to legally empower you to use their pen.
• Correct: 我可以用一下你的笔吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ yòng yīxià nǐ de bǐ ma?) - “Can I use your pen for a bit?” This is natural and appropriate.

Using 授权 in a casual context where no real authority is being transferred is a common and often amusing mistake for learners.

• 权力 (quánlì) - Power, authority. The “power” that is being granted in 授权.
• 权限 (quánxiàn) - Scope of authority, jurisdiction. Defines the limits of a given 授权.
• 批准 (pīzhǔn) - To approve, to ratify. The act of formally approving a request, which often precedes the act of 授权.
• 委托 (wěituō) - To entrust, to commission. Similar to 授权, but often implies entrusting a specific, ongoing responsibility or task to someone.
• 授权书 (shòuquánshū) - Letter of authorization, power of attorney. The official document that proves 授权.
• 许可证 (xǔkězhèng) - A license, a permit. The official certificate one receives after being authorized to do something (e.g., a driver's license).
• 允许 (yǔnxǔ) - To permit, to allow. A more general and less formal synonym for giving permission.
• 同意 (tóngyì) - To agree, to consent. A different concept related to agreement rather than the granting of power.
• 官方 (guānfāng) - Official. Often seen paired with 授权 as in 官方授权 (official authorization).