待 (dài) — to stay, to remain
Definition
待 (dài) is a slightly more formal verb for 'to stay/remain' in a place. 留 is its everyday equivalent, while 停留 marks a brief or temporary stop.
verb
to stayto remain
Easily confused
- 持chílook-aliketo hold; to grasp
- 带dàisound-alike(verb) to bring, to carry, to take along
- 诗shīlook-alikepoem; poetry; verse
- 戴dàisound-aliketo put on or wear (glasses, hat, gloves, jewelry, etc.)
- 得delook-alike(particle) used between a verb and a complement to indicate possibility or degree
- 代dàisound-aliketo substitute, to act on behalf of, to replace
Examples
- 待。Tā dǎ suàn zài tú shū guǎn dài dào wǎn shàng.He plans to stay in the library until evening.
- 待。Zhōu mò wǒ gèng xǐ huan dài zài jiā lǐ kàn shū.On weekends I prefer to stay at home and read.
- 待，。Bié dài zài wài miàn tài jiǔ, tiān kuài hēi le.Don't stay outside too long; it's getting dark.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì待dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
待 is built from 彳 on the left and 寺 on the right; 彳 is tied to the meaning, and 寺 gives the sound.
Appears in
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