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一代

Mandarin · pinyin yī dài

an era; an age; a generation

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Characters in this entry

一: yī · one; a, an; alone
代: dài · replace, replacement (of person or generation); era, generation

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

1–4 · yi1 dai4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 5 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

jat1 doi6

Cantonese word readings for 一代. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

noun · Etymology 1

generation (a rank or degree in genealogy, or a stage in the development of a technology)
(dated) era
(dated) dynasty
(dated) all one's life

intj · Etymology 2

(Taiwan, neologism, humorous) it hurts

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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