嫡 (dí) - Legitimate wife & primary wife in a polygamous household

嫡Tone 2

dí ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

嫡 · dí

Legitimate wife;

primary wife in a polygamous household;

direct line of descent;

orthodox or authentic.

Legitimate wifeprimary wife in a polygamous householddirect line of descent

Usage highlights

Legitimate wifeLegitimate sonLegitimate daughterDirect line of descentOrthodox schoolLegitimate grandson

Synonyms

  • 正— proper, main, primary
  • 长— eldest (in context of inheritance)

Antonyms

  • 庶— concubine-born, secondary
  • 旁— collateral, side branch
  • 妾— concubine

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The legitimate wife (嫡妻) held the highest status among the wives.
  • He was the eldest son of the primary wife (嫡子).
  • This is the orthodox school of thought (嫡派).
  • She was the legitimate daughter (嫡女) of the family.

Collocations

  • Legitimate wife(嫡妻)
  • Legitimate son(嫡子)
  • Legitimate daughter(嫡女)
  • Direct line of descent(嫡系)
  • Orthodox school(嫡派)
  • Legitimate grandson(嫡孙)

Idioms

  • The legitimate son and the son of a concubine(嫡庶)
  • The legitimate line of descent(嫡系正统)
  • Inheritance by the legitimate son(嫡长继承)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese feudal society, the distinction between 'di' (legitimate) and 'shu' (concubine-born) was crucial for inheritance and status.
  • The 'di' system ensured clear lineage succession, with the eldest son of the primary wife having priority.
  • This character reflects the patriarchal and hierarchical nature of traditional Chinese family structures.

FAQ