Japanese kanji 代: substitute; era

The idea

Common Chinese-derived readings include ダイ・タイ. Japanese-origin readings include かわる・かえる. Compare 代わる (かわる) with 時代 (じだい). 代 has 5 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram.

Examples

• 江戸えど時代じだいの町まちには、店みせがありました。There were shops in towns in the Edo period.
• 古代こだいの話はなしを読よみます。I read a story about ancient times.
• 母ははに代かわって電話でんわに出でます。I answer the phone instead of my mother.
• 次つぎの人ひとと交代こうたいします。I change places with the next person.
• 代金だいきんをここで払はらいます。I pay the charge here.
• 私わたしの代かわりに弟おとうとが行いきます。My younger brother will go in my place.

Watch out

人に代わって and 人の代わりに mean acting in someone’s place; 時代 means an era. Compare 代 with 伐: look for 弋 in 代.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 代わる in hiragana.

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   かわる

   代わる is read かわる; the whole word means to take someone’s place.

2. Write the reading of 時代 in hiragana.

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   じだい

   時代 is read じだい; the whole word means era; period.

3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿金（だいきん）.

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   代

   代 completes 代金, read だいきん; the whole word means price; payment.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 代 from memory, and read 代わる and 時代 aloud. Make a sentence, then check the readings and meanings.