替代 (tì dài) — to substitute for; to replace; to supersede

Definition

verb

to substitute forto replaceto supersede

替代。
Méi yǒu rén néng tì dài tā zài tuán duì zhōng de wèi zhì.
No one can replace his position in the team.
替代。
Zhè zhǒng xīn cái liào kě yǐ tì dài chuán tǒng de sù liào.
This new material can replace traditional plastic.
替代。
Shǒu jī zhī fù yǐ jīng tì dài le xiàn jīn zhī fù.
Mobile payment has superseded cash payment.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

替tìreplace

代dàisubstitute

替 and 代 both carry the idea of taking another's place, so it means substitute or replace.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

替 combines 竝, two figures side by side, with 曰; the picture shows those figures changing places.

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

亻弋代

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.

Appears in