带
to bring; to take; to wear (accessories)
dài
What does 带 mean?
带 (dài) is a high-frequency Chinese verb covering three closely related meanings: (1) 'to bring / take / carry along with you' — 带钱 (bring money), 带孩子 (bring/take care of the child); (2) 'to wear' for accessories and small items, NOT main clothing — 带眼镜 (wear glasses), 带帽子 (wear a hat), 带手表 (wear a watch); (3) 'to lead / guide' — 带客人参观 (show guests around). Two notes for English speakers: first, the 'wear' meaning of 带 is often spelled 戴 in formal writing — 戴 is the standard character for wearing accessories, but 带 is very common in casual writing and signs.
Second, 带 is different from 拿 (ná, 'to take/hold with your hand')
Character breakdown
belt; to carry along; to lead
Memory hook: The character 带 originally depicted a belt with hanging items — things you 'wear and carry with you.' That image stays at the core of all its meanings.
Example sentences
出门的时候别忘了带伞。
Chūmén de shíhou bié wàng le dài sǎn.
Don't forget to bring an umbrella when you go out.
spoken
他每天带眼镜看书。
Tā měi tiān dài yǎnjìng kàn shū.
He wears glasses to read every day.
neutral
妈妈带我去看医生。
Māma dài wǒ qù kàn yīshēng.
Mom is taking me to see the doctor.
spoken
对不起，我今天没带钱。
Duìbuqǐ, wǒ jīntiān méi dài qián.
Sorry, I didn't bring any money today.
spoken
Common phrases with 带
Synonyms
拿 means 'to take / pick up / hold with your hand' — focused on the physical act of grasping. 带 means 'to bring along on a journey.' 拿一本书 (pick up a book, right now) vs 带一本书 (bring a book with you when you go).
戴 is the formal character specifically for wearing accessories (戴眼镜, 戴手表, 戴帽子). 带 is often used in its place in casual writing. Same pronunciation; formal Chinese keeps them separate.
Don't confuse 带 with
穿 is 'to wear / put on' for main clothing and shoes (穿衣服, 穿鞋). 带 (or 戴) is for accessories on top of clothing (glasses, hats, watches, jewelry). Big rule: if it goes on your body, 穿; if it dangles or sits on top, 带/戴.
带子 is a noun meaning 'belt / strap / ribbon' — the original noun sense of 带. 带 by itself, in modern Chinese, is mostly a verb.