代词 (dài cí) — (grammar) pronoun

Definition

A grammar term for words that stand in for nouns (我, 你, 他) or noun phrases in a sentence — the category name, not a usable word itself.

noun
(grammar) pronoun

Examples

  • ，代词。
    Zài hàn yǔ zhōng, dài cí kě yǐ dài tì míng cí.
    In Chinese, pronouns can replace nouns.
  • 代词。
    Zhè ge dài cí zhǐ de shì qián miàn tí dào de rén.
    This pronoun refers to the person mentioned earlier.
  • 代词。
    Xué xí dài cí shí yào zhù yì tā men de bù tóng yòng fǎ.
    When studying pronouns, pay attention to their different uses.

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dàisubstitute
词cíword

“代” (substitute) and “词” (word) combine as a substitute word.

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 詞; 词 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
司
司sī詞cí(r)
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 詞 uses 言, meaning speech, and 司 to show how it was pronounced; the simplified 词 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 词 →

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