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黛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
黛
dài
to blacken one's eyebrows; black
nr, 17 strokes, radical 黑, rank #6051, Hard
黛
dài
umber-black dye for painting the eyebrow
unknown, 17 strokes, radical 黑, rank #6051, Hard
dài(dai4)dai T4
1to blacken one's eyebrows; black
2umber-black dye for painting the eyebrow
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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
By ear
Play it, then pick what 黛 means.
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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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 黛 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
黛 = 黑 + 代. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 黛
IDS Structure⿱代黑
黛Full character
=
代dai4
top
黑Hei1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part 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
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
我相信他肯定非常担心____安娜。
I believe he is most painfully anxious about Diana.
Example sentences for 黛 (10)
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1
我相信他肯定非常担心黛安娜。
wǒ xiāngxìn tā kěndìng fēicháng dānxīn dài Ān nà。
I believe he is most painfully anxious about Diana.
