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下一代 (xià yī dài) — younger generation (of people); next generation (of technology, products, etc.)

Definition

Refers to the next or younger generation of people, and is also used in tech and product contexts to mean 'next-generation'. Sibling 一代 covers the current generation; 上几代 refers to earlier ones.

noun
younger generation (of people)next generation (of technology, products, etc.)
Measure word · 代

Examples

  • 下一代。
    Zhè yí dài de jìn bù wèi xià yī dài dǎ xià le jī chǔ.
    The progress of this generation has laid the foundation for the next generation.
  • 下一代。
    Kē jì gōng sī zhèng zài yán fā xià yī dài chǎn pǐn.
    Tech companies are developing next-generation products.
  • 下一代。
    Fù mǔ dōu xī wàng xià yī dài néng guò dé gèng hǎo.
    Parents all hope the younger generation can live better lives.

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.

下xiànext
一代one generation
一yīone代dàigeneration
偏正Modifier + head

“下” means next and “一代” means one generation, together the next generation.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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
Family & Kinship

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