'使用权' (shǐ yòng quán) literally combines '使' (to use, to employ), '用' (to use, to apply), and '权' (right, authority). Though redundant in character meaning—both '使' and '用' convey 'use'—the compound functions as a legal and administrative term meaning 'right of use': the legally recognized entitlement to utilize property, land, or resources without owning them. It is commonly used in contexts involving real estate, public facilities, leased assets, or state-owned resources.

This term appears frequently in formal documents, contracts, and policy discussions—for example, when describing citizens’ access to public parks, tenants’ rights to occupy rental housing, or enterprises’ authorization to exploit natural resources. Unlike casual 'use', '使用权' implies institutional recognition, often granted for a fixed period and subject to conditions. It reflects China’s distinction between ownership (所有权) and usage rights, especially under socialist land tenure where urban land is state-owned but usage rights can be transferred.