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March 24, 2026
赖(賴)lài(Lai4)
The character 赖 (lài) has multiple meanings including 'to depend on' or 'to rely on,' as well as a surname. It can also imply negative connotations such as 'to renege on a promise' or 'to blame others.' The context in which it is used can significantly change its meaning, making it important to understand the surrounding words.
Strokes13Radical贝Frequency#5328DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of dependence is often viewed through the lens of family and social relationships, where relying on family members is common. The negative aspect of 赖 also reflects a cultural value that emphasizes personal responsibility.
Memory tip
Imagine a person named Lai who always hangs onto others for support, symbolizing dependence. Picture him in a rascally manner, blaming others for his failures, which helps connect the character's form to its meanings of reliance and blame.
Meanings of 赖
lài(Lai4)
1to depend on
2to hang on in a place
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 赖
赖Simplified
賴Traditional
13Strokes
贝Radical
名词míngcínrav (n.)Part of Speech
#5328Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 赖
Podcast: 赖
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AI study notes for 赖
Quick Contrast
赖 (lài) vs 依 (yī) — use 赖 when emphasizing dependence with a negative connotation, while 依 is more neutral, focusing on reliance without negative implications.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 赖 (lài) with similar-sounding words. It is predominantly used in informal contexts when discussing dependence or blame. Be cautious with the tone: using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely, as 赖 is pronounced with a falling tone.
HSK Study Tips
While 赖 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with words related to dependence and blame at the intermediate level. Focus on its usage in sentences to grasp both formal and informal contexts, as well as its synonyms.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 赖 (lài) with 赖 (lái) in terms of tone. For example, using 'lái' instead of 'lài' can change the meaning completely. Remember that 赖 is pronounced with a falling tone.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 赖
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 赖 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.
赖 = 贝 + 剌. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 赖
IDS Structure⿰剌贝
赖Full character
=
剌la2
left
贝Bei4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 赖?
How to say to depend on in Chinese
“to depend on” in Chinese is赖lài
The character 赖 (lài) has multiple meanings including 'to depend on' or 'to rely on,' as well as a surname. It can also imply negative connotations such as 'to renege on a promise' or 'to blame others.' The context in which it is used can significantly change its meaning, making it important to understand the surrounding words.
When to use 赖
Learners often confuse 赖 (lài) with similar-sounding words. It is predominantly used in informal contexts when discussing dependence or blame. Be cautious with the tone: using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely, as 赖 is pronounced with a falling tone.
赖 or something close to it
赖 (lài) vs 依 (yī) — use 赖 when emphasizing dependence with a negative connotation, while 依 is more neutral, focusing on reliance without negative implications.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 赖 (lài) with 赖 (lái) in terms of tone. For example, using 'lái' instead of 'lài' can change the meaning completely. Remember that 赖 is pronounced with a falling tone.
Write 赖
赖
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Grammar patterns of 赖
赖 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 11 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.
Lawyer Lai's outstanding performance in court has won widespread praise.
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Word Family of 赖
Compounds4
懒lǎnvariant of 懶
獭tǎotter
籁làibamboo flute; flute, pipe; a musical note
癞làileprosy; scabies, mange; shoddy
Words containing this character20
依赖yīlàito depend on依賴
赖làibad賴
不赖búlàigood不賴
信赖xìnlàito trust信賴
无赖wúlàihoodlum無賴
赖斯làisīRice (name)賴斯
赖床làichuángto have a lie-in賴床
有赖于yǒulàiyúto rely on有賴於
耍赖shuǎlàito act shamelessly耍賴
赖昌星làichāngxīngLai Changxing (1958-), notorious Xiamen mafia boss involved in large scale corruption and smuggling, extradited from Canada back to China in 2008賴昌星
抵赖dǐlàito disavow抵賴
达赖喇嘛dálàilǎmaDalai Lama達賴喇嘛
赖以làiyǐto rely on賴以
赖安lài’ānRyan (name)賴安
赖账làizhàngto renege on a debt賴賬
百无聊赖bǎiwúliáolàibored stiff百無聊賴
赖皮làipíshameless賴皮
赖氨酸lài’ānsuānlysine (Lys), an essential amino acid賴氨酸
达赖dálàithe Dalai Lama達賴
赖特làitèWright (name)賴特
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 赖
What does 獭 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 赖
In a formal context, 赖 typically means to depend on someone or something, but it can also imply renege on promises.
The surname 赖 is pronounced as 'Lai,' which is the same as the verb form but is capitalized when used as a surname.
While 赖 generally has negative connotations, it can be used positively in contexts of support, such as relying on a trusted friend.
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