dàimíngcí

代名词

Word · NounTraditional代名詞

substitute name; pronoun

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

2 senses · 5 examples
1.

noun

substitute term; euphemism; alternative expression

formal

Often refers to a word or phrase used in place of another to soften the meaning, avoid offense, or be more convenient.

Zài在
guān官
fāng方
wén文
jiàn件
zhōng中
 ，
‘‘
chōng冲
tū突
 ’
yǒu有
shí时
shì是
‘‘
zhàn战
zhēng争
 ’
de的
dài代
míng名
cí词
 。

In official documents, 'conflict' is sometimes a euphemism for 'war'.

Tā他
suǒ所
shuō说
de的
‘‘
kǎo考
lǜ虑
yī一
xià下
 ’
bù不
guò过
shì是
jù拒
jué绝
de的
dài代
míng名
cí词
 。

What he said, 'I'll think about it,' is just a euphemism for refusal.

Show 1 more example
‘‘
yòng用
hù户
tǐ体
yàn验
bù不
jiā佳
 ’
chéng成
le了
zhè这
ge个
ruǎn软
jiàn件
jiè界
miàn面
fù复
zá杂
 、
nán难
yòng用
de的
dài代
míng名
cí词
 。

'Poor user experience' has become a substitute term for this software's complex and difficult-to-use interface.

2.

noun

pronoun (in grammar)

archaic

A technical term used in some Chinese grammar books to refer to pronouns (e.g., 你, 我, 他, 这, 那). The more common modern term is ‘代词’.

Zài在
zhè这
běn本
lǎo老
yǔ语
fǎ法
shū书
lǐ里
 ，
‘‘
tā他
 ’
bèi被
guī归
lèi类
wéi为
‘‘
dài代
míng名
cí词
 ’
 。

In this old grammar book, 'he' is classified as a 'pronoun' (daimingci).

Lǎo老
shī师
jiě解
shì释
shuō说
 ，
dài代
míng名
cí词
kě可
yǐ以
dài代
tì替
míng名
cí词
huò或
míng名
cí词
duǎn短
yǔ语
 。

The teacher explained that pronouns can substitute for nouns or noun phrases.