Meaning
substitute; replace; generation; dynasty; geological era; era
Chinese: 代替、时代或一代。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “dai” becomes a different word in each tone. 代 is the 4th tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 代表dài biǎorepresentative; delegate; to represent; to stand for
- 时代shí dàiage; era; epoch; period (in one's life)
- 年代nián dàia decade of a century (e.g. the Sixties); age; era; period
- 现代xiàn dàimodern times; modern age; modern era
- 古代gǔ dàiancient times
Example Sentence
请你代我向他问好。Qǐng nǐ dài wǒ xiàng tā wèn hǎo.Please send him my regards on my behalf.
请Qǐngto ask你nǐyou代dàisubstitute我wǒI向xiàngtoward他tāhe问好wèn hǎoto say hello to。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
The person radical 亻 plus 弋 (sound): one person standing in for another — ‘to replace, substitute, act for; a generation; an era; on behalf of’ (代替, 时代, 古代).
A way to remember it
One person (亻) standing in — to replace; a generation, an era.