委任 (wěi rèn) is a formal verb meaning 'to appoint' or 'to confer authority', typically used when assigning someone to an official position, role, or responsibility. The character 委 (wěi) conveys the idea of entrusting or delegating, while 任 (rèn) means 'to appoint' or 'to assume office'; together, they emphasize the act of formally designating someone for a duty or leadership role. It is commonly used in governmental, corporate, legal, and institutional contexts — for example, appointing a manager, naming a representative, or assigning diplomatic posts.

This word carries a strong sense of legitimacy and official sanction; it’s not used for casual assignments (e.g., asking a friend to run an errand). It often appears with nouns like 职务 (zhíwù, 'position'), 代表 (dàibiǎo, 'representative'), or 律师 (lǜshī, 'lawyer') and frequently follows subjects such as 政府 (zhèngfǔ, 'government'), 公司 (gōngsī, 'company'), or 法院 (fǎyuàn, 'court'). Unlike more colloquial alternatives like 派 (pài, 'to send') or 安排 (ānpái, 'to arrange'), 委任 implies formality, authority, and procedural correctness.