黛 (dài) - Dark blue-black pigment used for painting eyebrows & black

黛Tone 4

dài ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

黛 · dài

Dark blue-black pigment used for painting eyebrows;

black;

often used metaphorically for beauty, especially women's eyebrows.

Dark blue-black pigment used for painting eyebrowsblackoften used metaphorically for beauty, especially women's eyebrows.

Usage highlights

Eyebrow pigmentDark eyebrowsPale eyebrowsCosmetic makeupDark green mountainsEyebrow pencil

Synonyms

  • 青— blue-green (similar color range)
  • 黑— black (darker shade)
  • 墨— ink (similar dark pigment)

Antonyms

  • 白— white (opposite color)
  • 粉— pink (lighter cosmetic color)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She applied eyebrow makeup (黛眉).
  • The mountains appeared dark blue in the distance (远山如黛).
  • This is a traditional cosmetic pigment (画眉之黛).
  • Her eyebrows were beautifully shaped (眉黛).

Collocations

  • Eyebrow pigment(黛墨)
  • Dark eyebrows(黛眉)
  • Pale eyebrows(粉黛)
  • Cosmetic makeup(黛妆)
  • Dark green mountains(黛色)
  • Eyebrow pencil(黛笔)

Idioms

  • Six palaces' powdered and painted ladies(六宫粉黛)
  • Powder and eyebrow pigment — beautiful women(粉黛)
  • Eyebrows like distant mountains(眉如远黛)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to a dark blue mineral pigment used by women to paint their eyebrows in ancient China.
  • In classical poetry, '黛' often symbolizes feminine beauty and elegance.
  • The character frequently appears in descriptions of beautiful women in Chinese literature.
  • In modern usage, it's considered an elegant character often used in female names.

FAQ