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March 24, 2026
黛dài(dai4)
The character 黛 (dài) primarily refers to a black or dark color, often associated with the traditional practice of blackening one's eyebrows in Chinese culture. It is also used to denote umber-black dye used in cosmetics, particularly in the context of enhancing beauty in a historical and cultural sense.
Strokes17Radical黑Frequency#6051DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, blackened eyebrows were seen as a symbol of beauty and elegance, often featured in classical literature and art. This practice connects to the broader theme of beauty standards in ancient China.
Memory Tip
Imagine a dark, mysterious night sky where 'dai' sounds like 'die' in English, but instead, it brings beauty by enhancing eyebrows. The character 黛 comprises the radical 黒 (black) which visually represents the color, reminding you of the deep, rich color it signifies.
Meanings of 黛
dài(dai4)
1to blacken one's eyebrows; black
2umber-black dye for painting the eyebrow
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 黛
黛Simplified
17Strokes
黑Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 黛
Podcast: 黛
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AI Study Notes for 黛
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 黛 (dài) with other similar-sounding characters, such as '代' (dài) which means 'to replace.' It's important to use this word in contexts related to beauty or cosmetics, as it is not commonly used in formal or everyday conversation without this context.
HSK Study Tips
While 黛 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it enriches your understanding of colors and beauty-related terms. Focus on its pronunciation and connections to other color-related words to expand your vocabulary effectively.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 黛 (dài) with similar characters like '代' (dài), leading to incorrect usage in contexts unrelated to beauty. For example, using 黛 to mean 'replace' is incorrect; the correct character for that is 代.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 黛
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Drill the tone of 黛 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 黑 represents the meaning and 代 represents the sound.
1The meaning half黑 carries the sense.
2The sound half代 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayblack
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 黛? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 黛?
Decomposition of 黛
IDS Structure⿱代黑
黛Full Character
=
代dai4
top
黑Hei1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 黛?
How to say to blacken one's eyebrows; black in Chinese
“to blacken one's eyebrows; black” in Chinese is黛dài
The character 黛 (dài) primarily refers to a black or dark color, often associated with the traditional practice of blackening one's eyebrows in Chinese culture. It is also used to denote umber-black dye used in cosmetics, particularly in the context of enhancing beauty in a historical and cultural sense.
When to use 黛
Common mistakes include confusing 黛 (dài) with other similar-sounding characters, such as '代' (dài) which means 'to replace.' It's important to use this word in contexts related to beauty or cosmetics, as it is not commonly used in formal or everyday conversation without this context.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 黛 (dài) with similar characters like '代' (dài), leading to incorrect usage in contexts unrelated to beauty. For example, using 黛 to mean 'replace' is incorrect; the correct character for that is 代.
Write 黛
黛
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Practice writing 黛 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 黛
黛 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
我相信他肯定非常担心____安娜。
I believe he is most painfully anxious about Diana.
