貸 meaning and stroke order
To borrow; to lend; to pardon
How to write 貸, stroke by stroke
12 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 貸
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to lend on interest
- to borrow
- a loan
- leniency
- to make excuses
- to pardon
How 貸 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Money.
貝 gives the meaning and 代 hints at the sound.
Radical: 貝 (sea shell), shared by 62 characters on this site.
How to remember 貸
貸 puts 代 (dài, to replace or stand in for) on top of 貝, the shell that stands for money. When you take a loan, someone else's money stands in for yours for a while, and 代 also gives the sound dài.
貸 (simplified 贷) is mostly used in money and finance words, not for everyday lending of objects. You see it in 贷款 (dàikuǎn, loan), 房贷 (fángdài, home loan) and 信贷 (xìndài, credit). Example: 我们向银行贷款买房。(Wǒmen xiàng yínháng dàikuǎn mǎi fáng.) We took out a bank loan to buy a home.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 貸 (dài) with 貨 (huò, goods), because both sit on 貝. Check the top part: 貸 has 代 with its dot and hook, while 貨 has 化. Another trap is using 貸 for lending a book or pen. Use 借 (jiè) for that.
Common words with 貸
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Questions about 貸
How many strokes are in 貸?
貸 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 貸 mean?
貸 (dài) means to borrow; to lend; to pardon. A common word with it is 贷款 (dàikuǎn), meaning "a loan; to provide a loan (e.g. bank)".
How do you pronounce 貸?
貸 is pronounced dài, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 貸?
The radical of 貸 is 貝, which carries the idea of "sea shell". Dictionaries list 貸 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 貸?
貸 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 贷, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 借 (jiè) and 貸 (dài)?
借 is the everyday word for borrowing or lending anything, like a pen or some cash from a friend. 貸 is formal and financial, usually about loans from banks or institutions, often with interest.
Does 貸 still mean to pardon in modern Chinese?
Only in a few fixed expressions, such as 严惩不贷 (yánchéng bú dài), meaning to punish severely without leniency. In normal speech and writing, 貸 almost always refers to loans.