Traditional: 獃
dāi HSK 5

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

他看起来很呆,其实很聪明。
Tā kàn qǐlái hěn dāi, qíshí hěn cōngmíng.
He looks slow-witted, but actually he is very smart.
别呆在那里,快来帮忙。
Bié dāi zài nàlǐ, kuài lái bāngmáng.
Don't just stand there stupidly, come and help.
这个问题让他呆住了。
Zhège wèntí ràng tā dāi zhù le.
This question made him stunned.
他呆住了。
Tā dāi zhù le.
He froze in place.
别发呆!
Bié fādāi!
Don't space out!

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 呆 as '呆-ing around'—it sounds like 'die' in English but means the opposite of leaving! Imagine someone saying 'I'll just dāi here' to remember it means 'stay.' The character looks like a person (口) under a tree (木), suggesting staying put in a relaxed spot.

📝 Usage Notes

This usage of 呆 is informal and commonly used in spoken Chinese, especially in casual conversations among friends or family. It is less formal than alternatives like 待 (dāi) or 停留 (tíngliú), and it often implies a temporary or relaxed stay. It's typical in everyday contexts like visiting or hanging out.

📖 Grammar Points

呆 is often used with location words and time expressions, e.g., 呆在 + place (呆在家里), or 呆 + duration (呆一会儿). It can be modified by adverbs like 再 (zài) for 'stay again/longer' or 多 (duō) for 'stay more.' In negative forms, use 不 (bù) or 没 (méi), e.g., 不想呆 (don't want to stay).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In informal settings, 呆 can carry a nuance of idleness or just 'hanging out,' reflecting a relaxed attitude toward time. It's common in invitations or casual plans, like suggesting someone stay longer. In some contexts, it might imply boredom if overused, but generally it's neutral.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 待 (dāi), which can also mean 'to stay' and is sometimes interchangeable, 呆 is more colloquial and often implies inactivity. 停留 (tíngliú) is more formal and means 'to stop briefly' or 'to stay temporarily,' often used in written contexts. 住 (zhù) means 'to live' or 'to reside,' indicating a longer-term stay.

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