代 (dài) is a Chinese character meaning “to replace”. It is written from 亻 (person (the form 人 takes on the left)) and 弋 (corded arrow; to shoot with a retrievable arrow), side by side, and takes 5 strokes.
Build the character for “to replace; generation”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
亻 + 弋
Left–right structure
- 亻 person (the form 人 takes on the left) · rén meaning
- 弋 corded arrow; to shoot with a retrievable arrow · yì sound
Structure from: 说文解字·人部：代，更也。从人，弋聲（现代字形以 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 笔画核验：亻2 画 + 弋3 画 = 5 画）
Memory aid
A person (亻) steps up and takes the corded arrow (弋) out of another's hand — one stands in for the other. That is 代: to replace, to act on someone's behalf.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
5 strokes
In real words
- 古代gǔ dàiancient times; antiquity代 = dài
- 时代shí dàiera; age; times代 = dài
- 宋代Sòng dàithe Song period; in the Song dynasty代 = dài
- 迭代dié dàiiteration; to iterate代 = dài
- 代替dài tìto replace; to substitute for代 = dài
- 替代tì dàito substitute; to replace代 = dài
Go deeper
All readings
to replace; generation; era
to replace; to act on behalf of; a generation; a historical era or dynasty
替换、代替；也指世代或一个历史时期。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 古代gǔ dàiancient times; antiquity代 = dài
- 时代shí dàiera; age; times代 = dài
- 宋代Sòng dàithe Song period; in the Song dynasty代 = dài
- 迭代dié dàiiteration; to iterate代 = dài
- 代替dài tìto replace; to substitute for代 = dài
- 替代tì dàito substitute; to replace代 = dài
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 代 mean?
代 (dài) means to replace; to act on behalf of; a generation; a historical era or dynasty.
How do you pronounce 代?
It is pronounced dài.
What parts is 代 made of?
亻 (person (the form 人 takes on the left)) and 弋 (corded arrow; to shoot with a retrievable arrow), side by side. The recorded source is: 说文解字·人部：代，更也。从人，弋聲（现代字形以 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 笔画核验：亻2 画 + 弋3 画 = 5 画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 代 have?
5. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 代?
人. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 代?
Common ones are 古代 and 时代. The reading of 代 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.