容许 is a formal, transitive verb meaning 'to permit' or 'to allow', often implying official, legal, or moral authorization rather than casual consent. The character 容 (róng) means 'to tolerate' or 'to accommodate', while 许 (xǔ) means 'to grant' or 'to approve'; together, they convey the idea of granting tolerance or approval for something to happen. It frequently appears in written Chinese—such as laws, regulations, academic writing, or formal speeches—and is less common in everyday spoken conversation.

This word carries a tone of authority or restriction: it emphasizes what is objectively permissible under given conditions, not personal willingness. For example, a rule may 容许 certain behavior, but forbid others; similarly, physical laws may 容许 only specific outcomes. It’s often used with negative constructions (e.g., 不容许 — 'not permitted') to stress prohibition, especially in policy contexts.