贷 (dài) is a Chinese character meaning “to lend or to borrow (money)”. It is written from 代 (to replace; to act on behalf of; generation) and 贝 (shell), one above the other, and takes 9 strokes.
Build the character for “to lend; a loan”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
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Structure
代 + 贝
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: 说文解字·贝部：貸，施也。从貝代聲（现代字形以 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 笔画核验：代5画 + 贝4画 = 9画）
Memory aid
Money (贝, the shell that once was cash) sits under someone acting for you (代). Money handed over on someone else’s behalf — that is 贷: a loan.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
9 strokes
In real words
- 贷款dài kuǎnloan; to provide a loan贷 = dài
- 信贷xìn dàicredit; lending贷 = dài
Go deeper
All readings
to lend; to borrow; loan
to lend or to borrow (money); a loan; to shift blame onto others; to pardon
借出或借入（钱款）；也指贷款本身。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 贷款dài kuǎnloan; to provide a loan贷 = dài
- 信贷xìn dàicredit; lending贷 = dài
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 贷 mean?
贷 (dài) means to lend or to borrow (money); a loan; to shift blame onto others; to pardon.
How do you pronounce 贷?
It is pronounced dài.
What parts is 贷 made of?
代 (to replace; to act on behalf of; generation) and 贝 (shell), one above the other. The recorded source is: 说文解字·贝部：貸，施也。从貝代聲（现代字形以 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 笔画核验：代5画 + 贝4画 = 9画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 贷 have?
9. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 贷?
贝. 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 贷?
Common ones are 贷款 and 信贷. The reading of 贷 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.