待 (dāi) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 待 (dāi) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 待 (dāi) means "to wait; to treat". It is an HSK Level 3 character, with 9 strokes and the radical 彳.

Q: How do you write 待 stroke by stroke?

待 has 9 strokes. The radical is 彳. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 待 and 彷?

待 (dāi) and 彷 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 待?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 彳. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 待?

Common words containing 待 include: 等待 (děng dài) — To wait for; to await; 接待 (jiē dài) — to receive (guests) / to host; 对待 (duì dài) — To treat / To handle.

How to Write 待

The character 待 (dāi) is written with 9 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 彳 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

Meaning & Pronunciation

待 is pronounced dāi in Mandarin Chinese. It means to wait; to treat.

This is a polyphonic character with readings: dāi, dài.

As an HSK Level 3 character, 待 is an intermediate-level character.

Common Words with 待

等待 děng dài

To wait for; to await

接待 jiē dài

to receive (guests) / to host

对待 duì dài

To treat / To handle

待会儿 dāi huìr

in a moment; later

Example Sentences

请在门口耐心等待。

qǐng zài mén kǒu nài xīn děng dài

Please wait patiently at the door.

他负责接待外国游客。

tā fù zé jiē dài wài guó yóu kè

He is responsible for receiving foreign tourists.

我们要友好对待邻居。

wǒ men yào yǒu hǎo duì dài lín jū

We should treat our neighbors kindly.

你先待会儿，我马上就来。

nǐ xiān dāi huìr, wǒ mǎ shàng jiù lái

Wait a moment, I'll be right there.

Similar Characters

彷 páng

彸 zhōng

役 yì

Practice Writing 待 (dāi)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 待 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 待

What does 待 (dāi) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 待 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 待 and 彷?

What mistakes do learners make writing 待?

What common words use 待?

How to Write 待 (dāi)