呆

• Pinyin: dāi
• Hanzi breakdown: 呆 = 口 (mouth) + 木 (wood, stiff) — depicting something wooden or dull

Meaning

Dull; stupid; blank; dazed.

Describes someone who appears slow-witted, expressionless, or stunned. Can refer to a permanent trait (being slow) or a temporary state (being dazed or spacing out). Also used affectionately for someone who is naive or innocent.

Examples

1. 他看起来有点呆，其实很聪明。 He looks a bit slow, but he's actually very smart.
2. 她听到这个消息后，呆住了好几秒。 After hearing the news, she froze for several seconds.
3. 别站在那儿发呆，快去帮忙。 Don't just stand there spacing out — go help out.

Usage Guide

Context: descriptions, reactions, teasing

Tone: colloquial

Do Say

• 他呆呆地看着我。(He stared at me blankly.)
• 别发呆了。(Stop spacing out.)

Don't Say

• 直接说别人'呆'可能冒犯对方——除非关系很熟或带有玩笑意味 (Directly calling someone 呆 may offend them — only use it with close friends or in a joking manner)

Origin & History

A pictophonetic character originally meaning wooden or stiff, extended to mean dull or slow-witted.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal