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代课 (dài kè) — to substitute for a teacher, to teach a class as a substitute

Definition

代课 (dàikè) is a verb-object phrase meaning to fill in as a substitute teacher, often temporarily. Note the separable-verb pattern: 在我们学校代课, but 代了一周的课 / 代过三次课.

verb
to substitute for a teacherto teach a class as a substitute

Examples

  • ，代课。
    Zhāng lǎo shī shēng bìng le, míng tiān wǒ qù tì tā dài kè.
    Teacher Zhang is sick; I'll substitute for him tomorrow.
  • 。
    Tā shàng ge yuè gěi wǒ men dài le yì zhōu de kè.
    He substituted for us for a week last month.
  • 。
    Zhè xué qī wǒ dài guò sān cì kè.
    I've substituted three times this semester.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

代dàisubstitute
课kèclass

代 substitute and 课 class combine to mean substitute for a class.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì代dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 代, 亻 shows a person, and 弋 gives the sound.

Open 代 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 課; 课 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánto say
Sound part声符shēngfú
果
果guǒ課kè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 課 pairs 言 (to say) with 果 as a sound part; the simplified 课 is a shorthand and its right side is not a sound part.

Open 课 →
Appears in
School & Education

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