待

• Pinyin: dāi
• Hanzi breakdown: 待 = 彳 (step, movement) + 寺 (temple, phonetic) — originally meant to wait

Meaning

To stay; to remain; to wait.

When pronounced dāi, means to stay or remain in a place. Different from dài (to treat, to wait for). Often used to describe spending time somewhere or remaining in a state. Common in phrases like 待在家里 (stay at home).

Examples

1. 周末我喜欢待在家里看书。 On weekends, I like to stay home and read.
2. 他在北京待了三年。 He stayed in Beijing for three years.
3. 这里太无聊了，我待不下去。 It's too boring here — I can't stay any longer.

Usage Guide

Context: locations, time, staying

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 你打算待多久？(How long do you plan to stay?)
• 待在这儿别动。(Stay here and don't move.)

Don't Say

• 注意'待'有两个发音：dāi（待着，停留）和dài（对待，等待）——用错发音意思会变 (Note that 待 has two pronunciations: dāi (to stay) and dài (to treat, to wait) — using the wrong tone changes the meaning)

Origin & History

A character with multiple pronunciations and meanings. When pronounced dāi, derived from the meaning of remaining or stopping.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal