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妲 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
妲dáfemale personal name (archaic)unknown, 8 strokes, radical 女, rank #13808, Very Hard
妲dáconcubine of the last Shang emperorg, 8 strokes, radical 女, rank #13808, Very Hard
dá(Da2)da T2
  1. 1female personal name (archaic)
  2. 2concubine of the last Shang emperor
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March 24, 2026

妲dá(Da2)

The character 妲 (dá) historically refers to a concubine of the last emperor of the Shang dynasty, known for her beauty and influence. In modern contexts, it is used as a female personal name, often carrying an archaic or literary tone. It embodies themes of beauty and tragedy within Chinese literature and history.

Strokes8Radical女Frequency#13808DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

妲 is famously associated with the story of Daji, the concubine of King Zhou of Shang, who is often depicted as a symbol of seduction and destruction in Chinese folklore. This character has influenced various cultural representations, including operas and literature.

Memory Tip

Imagine a graceful woman (the radical 女, meaning 'female') standing beside a delicate doll (the character 妲 resembles a doll in its form), representing beauty. The pronunciation 'dá' can be remembered by thinking of 'dainty,' echoing her elegance.

Meanings of 妲

dá(Da2)
1female personal name (archaic)
2concubine of the last Shang emperor
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 妲

妲Simplified
8Strokes
女Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 妲

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Podcast: 妲

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AI Study Notes for 妲

Usage Notes

When using 妲, be aware that it is mostly found in historical or literary contexts, making it less common in everyday conversation. It is important to use this character with the understanding that it carries a specific cultural and historical weight, often evoking themes of power dynamics in relationships.

HSK Study Tips

While 妲 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, studying this character can enhance understanding of historical texts and increase familiarity with names and characters found in classical literature. Focus on recognizing its usage in context rather than memorization alone.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 妲 with other similar characters like 娅 (yà) or 妍 (yán), which also relate to beauty but have different contexts. Always remember that 妲 specifically refers to historical figures rather than general beauty.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 妲

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Etymology of 妲

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 女 represents the meaning and 旦 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

woman

Semantic (meaning)女
+
Phonetic (sound)旦
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

妲 = 女 + 旦. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 妲

IDS Structure⿰女旦
妲Full Character
=
女nü3
left
旦dan4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 妲?

How to say female personal name (archaic) in Chinese

“female personal name (archaic)” in Chinese is妲dá

The character 妲 (dá) historically refers to a concubine of the last emperor of the Shang dynasty, known for her beauty and influence. In modern contexts, it is used as a female personal name, often carrying an archaic or literary tone. It embodies themes of beauty and tragedy within Chinese literature and history.

When to use 妲

When using 妲, be aware that it is mostly found in historical or literary contexts, making it less common in everyday conversation. It is important to use this character with the understanding that it carries a specific cultural and historical weight, often evoking themes of power dynamics in relationships.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 妲 with other similar characters like 娅 (yà) or 妍 (yán), which also relate to beauty but have different contexts. Always remember that 妲 specifically refers to historical figures rather than general beauty.

Write 妲

妲

Practice writing 妲 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 妲

Words Containing This Character2
妲dáfemale personal name (archaic)
妲己Daji (c. 11th century BC), mythical fox spirit and concubine of the last Shang Dynasty Emperor Zhou Xin 紂辛|纣辛[Zhòu​Xīn]
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 妲

What does 妲己 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 妲

No, 妲 is considered archaic and is rarely used in contemporary names.

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