Definitions

diē (noun) dad; father

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 爹 is a phono-semantic compound with the radical 父 at the top, indicating a connection to a father or elder male, while the component 多 below serves as the phonetic element. It historically emerged as a colloquial or affectionate term for one's father, distinct from the more formal 父 found in classical texts. Although 多 typically means "many", here it functions solely for its historical phonetic value, which has shifted over time to match the modern pronunciation. In some regional dialects, 爹 can also refer to an elderly man or grandfather, extending its use beyond the immediate paternal relationship.

Example Sentences Hide

是老师。

Wǒ diē shì lǎoshī.

My dad is a teacher.

的头发白了。

Diē de tóufa bái le.

Dad's hair has turned white.

每天锻炼身体。

Wǒ diē měitiān duànliàn shēntǐ.

My dad exercises every day.

妈一起去了公园。

Diē mā yīqǐ qù le gōngyuán.

My parents went to the park together.

给我讲了一个故事。

Wǒ diē gěi wǒ jiǎng le yī gè gùshì.

My dad told me a story.

虽然年纪大,但身体很健康。

Diē suīrán niánjì dà, dàn shēntǐ hěn jiànkāng.

Although dad is old, he is very healthy.

在工作中取得了很大成就。

Wǒ diē zài gōngzuò zhōng qǔdé le hěn dà chéngjiù.

My dad has achieved great success in his work.

每当我想起的教诲,我就更加努力地学习。

Měi dāng wǒ xiǎng qǐ diē de jiàohuì, wǒ jiù gèngjiā nǔlì de xuéxí.

Whenever I think of my dad's teachings, I study harder.