貸 (dài) - To lend & to borrow

貸Tone 4

dài ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

貸 · dài

To lend;

to borrow;

a loan;

to pardon or forgive;

also used in economic contexts.

To lendto borrowa loan

Usage highlights

LoanTo lend moneyCreditTo borrowCorporate bondLoan interest

Synonyms

  • 借— to borrow; to lend
  • 贷出— to lend out

Antonyms

  • 还— to return; to repay
  • 收— to receive; to collect

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The bank lends money (贷款).
  • He borrowed books from the library (借书).
  • Student loans are common (学生贷款).
  • The company issued corporate bonds (公司债券).

Collocations

  • Loan(贷款)
  • To lend money(贷款)
  • Credit(信贷)
  • To borrow(借贷)
  • Corporate bond(公司债券)
  • Loan interest(贷款利息)

Idioms

  • To grant a loan(贷款)
  • Credit and debit(借贷)
  • To issue government bonds(发行国债)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically used in financial and commercial contexts, reflecting China's long history of trade and finance.
  • The character combines 'value' (貝) and 'substitute' (代), suggesting the transfer of value through lending.
  • In modern usage, it is central to banking, personal finance, and economic policy discussions.

FAQ