DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT
代
Mandarin · pinyin dài
Meanings
- to be a substitute for; to act on behalf of; to replace; to substitute
- generation; dynasty; age; period; (historical) era; (geological) eon
Characters in this entry
- 代
- dài · replace, replacement (of person or generation); era, generation
Explore the spelling
Mandarin tones
4 · dai4
Compare attested words with these syllables ↗Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.
Connected dictionary
1character link44same-tone records
Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.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.
Compare dictionary sources Rime · Wiktionary
Rime Cantonese 粵拼
doi6
Cantonese word readings for 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.
character · Etymology 1
- to replace; to take the place of
- (formal) to act for; to do something on behalf of
- (Jianghuai Mandarin) for; in place of
- to act as; to be the acting (president etc.)
- generation; age group
- historical period; era
- date; age
- dynasty; line of rulers
- (geology) era (geochronologic unit)
- (grammar) short for 代名詞／代名词 (dàimíngcí); short for 代詞／代词 (dàicí, “pronoun”)
- (historical geography) short for 代國／代国 (Dàiguó, “state of Dai”)
- a surname
character · Etymology 2
- (Hokkien) affair; matter
Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history
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