嘱托 (zhǔ tuō) is a formal, written-style verb meaning 'to entrust' or 'to commission' someone to carry out a task or responsibility. It combines 嘱 (zhǔ), meaning 'to instruct' or 'to urge', and 托 (tuō), meaning 'to entrust' or 'to ask for help'. Together, they emphasize both the directive and delegative aspects — not just assigning a task, but doing so with care, expectation, and often emotional weight. The word implies seriousness and trust: the person giving the 嘱托 is relying on the other’s reliability, competence, or loyalty.

This term appears frequently in formal letters, official documents, literary texts, and respectful spoken contexts — such as when an elder entrusts family matters to a younger relative, or a teacher assigns a meaningful duty to a student. It is rarely used in casual conversation; everyday speech prefers simpler verbs like 拜托 (bài tuō) or 让 (ràng). While it can function as a noun ('an entrustment'), its primary use is verbal, typically followed by a clause or object indicating what was entrusted.