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历代 (lì dài) — successive dynasties; past dynasties; successive generations

Definition

Literary term for 'successive dynasties' — refers to one dynasty after another across history. 后代 focuses on descendants, while 一代 and 世代 refer to a single generation or era, not a string of dynasties.

noun
successive dynastiespast dynastiessuccessive generations

Examples

  • 历代，？
    lì dài Huáng dì zhōng, shuí zuì wěi dà?
    Among the emperors of successive dynasties, who is the greatest?
  • 历代。
    Zhè běn shū jiè shào le lì dài de wén huà chéng jiù.
    This book introduces the cultural achievements of successive dynasties.
  • 历代。
    lì dài Jiàn zhù fēng gé gè bù xiāng tóng.
    The architectural styles of successive dynasties are all different.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

历lìsuccessive
代dàigeneration

历 as successive and 代 as generations combine to mean past dynasties or ages.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 歷; 历 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 历 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (简历, 经历) it is 歷; in others (日历) it is 曆.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
止止zhǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
厤
厤lì歷lì
Same sound today

The form 歷 pairs 止 with the sound part 厤.

Open 历 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6

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