担待 (dān dài) — to pardon, to forgive (often in polite expressions); to take responsibility (for something)

Definition

Used almost only in polite set phrases: 多担待 means 'please be lenient with me', and 担起责任 means 'take responsibility'. Don't use it as a neutral verb elsewhere.

verb
to pardonto forgive (often in polite expressions)to take responsibility (for something)

Examples

  • ，担待。
    Gāng cái wǒ shuō cuò huà le, qǐng nín duō dān dài.
    I just said something wrong; please forgive me.
  • 担待，。
    Zhè jiàn shì yóu wǒ dān dài, dà jiā bú yòng dān xīn.
    I'll take responsibility for this; everyone don't worry.
  • ，担待。
    Rú guǒ zuò dé bù hǎo, hái qǐng nín duō duō dān dài.
    If I do poorly, please be indulgent with me.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

担dāntake on
待dàitreat

担, to take on, and 待, to treat, together express taking responsibility or excusing.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
旦
旦dàn担dàn
Same sound today

In 担, the left part 扌 is the hand, showing that the action involves using the hand. The right part 旦 shows how it sounds.

Open 担 →

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
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.

Open 待 →

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