戴德 (dàidé): to be deeply grateful

Meanings

1 to be deeply grateful
2 to feel indebted (literary)

Characters

戴

dài

to wear; bear (on the head)

德

dé

virtue; kindness

Examples

全家人对他感恩戴德。

Quán jiārén duì tā gǎn'ēn dàidé.

The whole family is profoundly grateful to him.

受人之恩，理应戴德。

Shòu rén zhī ēn, lǐ yīng dàidé.

When one receives kindness, gratitude is only proper.

Tips

usage

Almost never appears alone in modern Chinese — speakers reach for the four-character idiom 感恩戴德 (gǎn'ēn dàidé, 'to feel kindness and bear gratitude'). 戴 here keeps its old sense 'to bear on the head' = to carry someone's kindness around with you everywhere.

history

戴德 is also the name of Western Han scholar 戴德 (Dai De, c. 1st century BCE), compiler of 《大戴礼记》 (Senior Dai's Record of Rites). His nephew 戴圣 compiled the more famous 《礼记》 (《小戴礼记》).