代为 (dài wéi) — on behalf of (someone); for (someone)

Definition

Formal adverb meaning 'on behalf of (someone) / for (someone) in their place'. Used in written or official contexts; in everyday speech, 替 is more common.

adverb
on behalf of (someone)for (someone)

Examples

  • 代为。
    Tā dài wéi wǒ men xiàng lǎo shī wèn hǎo.
    He greeted the teacher on our behalf.
  • 代为。
    Qǐng dài wéi wǒ xiè xie nǐ de péng you.
    Please thank your friend for me.
  • ，代为。
    Jīng lǐ yǒu shì, yóu fù jīng lǐ dài wéi chū xí.
    The manager is busy, so the deputy manager will attend on his behalf.

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.

代dàion behalf
为wèido

The '代' idea of acting for someone and the '为' idea of doing something together express doing something for another.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →

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