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A2 noun 7 min read

一代

yidai

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 一代 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 一代 in your Level:

At the A1 level, '一代' (yī dài) is usually introduced in the context of family and basic comparisons. Students learn that it means 'a generation.' You might see it in simple phrases like '这一代' (this generation) or '下一代' (the next generation) when talking about parents and children. The focus is on recognizing the word and understanding that it relates to people of a similar age. It is often taught alongside family vocabulary like '爸爸' (dad) and '孩子' (child) to show the progression of a family. For an A1 learner, the goal is to understand that '一代' represents a group of people in a family tree.

At the A2 level, learners begin to use '一代' to make simple observations about society. You might hear people say '年轻一代' (the younger generation) or '老一代' (the older generation). This allows you to talk about differences in habits or preferences between age groups. For example, '年轻一代喜欢玩手机' (The younger generation likes to play on their phones). You also start to see '一代' used with numbers, such as '第一代' (the first generation), which is common when discussing technology or history in a basic way. The focus here is on using '一代' to categorize groups of people in a descriptive manner.

At the B1 level, '一代' is used more flexibly to discuss social trends, cultural heritage, and life changes. You can use phrases like '一代人有一代人的使命' (Every generation has its own mission) to express more complex ideas. You will encounter '一代' in reading passages about China's rapid development, where authors compare the lives of the '80后' (post-80s) or '90后' (post-90s) with their parents' generation. You also begin to learn fixed expressions like '一代又一代' (generation after generation), which is used to describe traditions being passed down. At this stage, you should be able to discuss the impact of one generation on the next.

At the B2 level, you explore the more formal and professional uses of '一代.' This includes technological iterations, such as '新一代的技术' (a new generation of technology), and sociological terms like '移民第一代' (first-generation immigrants). You will be expected to understand the nuance between '一代' and '时代' (era), using them correctly in essays or debates. You might also encounter '一代' in literature or news reports where it describes a specific cohort's collective memory or psychological state. Your ability to use '一代' should extend to discussing complex topics like the 'generation gap' (代沟 - dàigōu), where '一代' is the root concept.

At the C1 level, your understanding of '一代' reaches a literary and philosophical depth. You will encounter the term in phrases like '一代宗师' (a grandmaster of a generation) or '一代才子' (a gifted scholar of the era), where it denotes the absolute peak of achievement. You should be able to analyze how '一代' is used in historical discourse to define epochs (e.g., '这一代王朝' - this generation of the dynasty). You will also handle abstract concepts like '跨一代' (trans-generational) and understand the subtle connotations of '一代' in different registers, from poetic lamentations about the passage of time to rigorous sociological analysis of demographic shifts.

At the C2 level, '一代' is a tool for nuanced expression in high-level academic, literary, and political contexts. You can use it to discuss the 'meta-narratives' of different generations or the 'historical weight' an '一代' carries. You will understand its use in ancient texts where it might have slightly different grammatical properties. You can effortlessly switch between its literal meaning and its many metaphorical extensions, such as using '一代' to describe the lifespan of a specific ideology or artistic movement. Your usage will reflect a deep appreciation for the cultural and historical baggage the word carries in the Chinese-speaking world, particularly regarding the continuity of civilization.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

一代 in 30 Seconds

A noun meaning 'generation' in biological, social, and technological contexts.
Used with numbers (第一代) or adjectives (年轻一代) to define specific groups.
Emphasizes the continuity of time and the succession of people or ideas.
A key word for discussing social trends, family heritage, and product versions.

The term 一代 (yī dài) is a fundamental Chinese noun that primarily translates to "generation." At its core, it represents the average period, generally considered to be about thirty years, during which children are born and grow up, become adults, and begin to have children of their own. However, in the rich tapestry of the Chinese language, its utility extends far beyond mere biological cycles. It is used to delineate historical eras, technological iterations, and even the pinnacle of individual achievement within a specific timeframe.

Biological Succession: In a family context, it distinguishes between parents, children, and grandchildren. For example, '下一代' (xià yī dài) refers specifically to the next generation or one's descendants, emphasizing the continuity of the family line and the passing of values or assets.

我们需要为一代接一代的繁荣而努力。 (We need to work hard for the prosperity of generation after generation.)

Sociological Cohorts: In modern discourse, it is frequently paired with specific time markers to describe social groups, such as the '80后' (bā líng hòu - the post-80s generation). Using '这一代人' (zhè yī dài rén) allows speakers to generalize about the shared experiences, challenges, and cultural attitudes of people born in a similar era.

年轻一代对科技的依赖程度非常高。 (The younger generation has a very high level of dependence on technology.)

Historical and Prestigious Context: It can also denote a whole era or a person who stands as the greatest of their time. The phrase '一代宗师' (yī dài zōng shī) refers to a grandmaster of a generation, someone whose influence and skill are unmatched during their lifetime.

他是那一代中最杰出的艺术家。 (He was the most outstanding artist of that generation.)

Using 一代 correctly requires understanding its role as a classifier-noun hybrid. It frequently appears with demonstratives like '这' (this) or '那' (that), or with ordinal numbers like '第' (first, second, etc.). The syntax is relatively straightforward, but the nuance lies in the adjectives that precede it.

Quantifying Generations: When you want to specify a particular group, you use [Number/Demonstrative] + 一代. For example, '第一代' (the first generation) is commonly used in immigration contexts or product releases. '我们这一代' (we, this generation) is a very common way to express collective identity.

我们这一代人见证了互联网的兴起。 (Our generation witnessed the rise of the internet.)

Descriptive Usage: You can add adjectives before '一代' to describe the characteristics of that group. '年轻一代' (younger generation), '老一代' (older generation), or even '迷茫的一代' (the lost generation). The particle '的' is optional in common phrases like '年轻一代' but necessary for more complex descriptors.

老一代的观念往往比较传统。 (The older generation's concepts are often quite traditional.)

他影响了整整一代人的成长。 (He influenced the growth of an entire generation.)

The 'A and B' Pattern: To describe continuous succession, the pattern '一代又一代' (generation after generation) or '一代传一代' (passed from generation to generation) is used. This emphasizes tradition, heritage, or the relentless passage of time.

这个故事在村子里一代传一代。 (This story has been passed down generation after generation in the village.)

You will encounter 一代 in a variety of settings, ranging from casual family conversations to formal academic lectures. Its versatility makes it a staple in both spoken and written Mandarin.

News and Media: Journalists often use '一代' to discuss demographic shifts or social trends. Headlines might focus on '千禧一代' (Millennials) or 'Z世代' (Gen Z), discussing their economic habits or political views. It provides a shorthand for grouping millions of people by their birth era.

新一代创业者正在改变市场格局。 (The new generation of entrepreneurs is changing the market landscape.)

Workplace and Technology: In the tech industry, '一代' is synonymous with 'version.' When a new smartphone or software is released, it is often called the '新一代产品' (new generation product). In the workplace, mentors might talk about training the '接班的一代' (the generation that will take over).

这是我们开发的第一代人工智能系统。 (This is the first generation of AI systems we have developed.)

这部电影记录了那一代人的青春记忆。 (This movie records the youth memories of that generation.)

Family Gatherings: During holidays like Chinese New Year, elders often compare '我们那一代' (our generation) with the younger ones, usually to remark on how much easier life is now or how different the values have become. It serves as a bridge for comparing the past and present.

希望你们这一代能过上更好的生活。 (I hope your generation can live a better life.)

While 一代 is a relatively simple term, learners often make subtle errors in its application, particularly when confusing it with similar concepts like '时代' (era) or '辈子' (lifetime).

Mistaking '一代' for '时代': '一代' refers to the people of a period, whereas '时代' refers to the period itself. You can say '我们这一代' (we, this generation), but you cannot say '我们这个时代人' as naturally. Use '时代' for abstract periods like '信息时代' (Information Age) and '一代' for the humans within it.

Incorrect: 在这一代，科技很发达。
Correct: 在这个时代，科技很发达。 (In this era, technology is very advanced.)

Confusing '一代' with '辈子': '辈子' (bèizi) refers to an individual's lifetime. '我这一辈子' means 'all my life.' In contrast, '一代' refers to a collective group. You wouldn't say '我这一代' if you only mean yourself; you would use it to speak for your peers.

Incorrect: 我这一代都没去过北京。
Correct: 我这辈子都没去过北京。 (I haven't been to Beijing in my whole life.)

Mistake: 一代人很努力。
Correction: 这一代人很努力。 (This generation of people is very hardworking.)

Misusing '一代' as a pure measure word: While '一代' acts like a measure word, it is specific to people and technological iterations. You cannot use it to count general objects. For example, you cannot say '一代书' to mean a generation of books unless you are speaking metaphorically about editions.

To truly master the concept of 'generation' in Chinese, one must understand how 一代 compares to other related terms. These distinctions are vital for achieving native-like fluency.

一代 (yī dài) vs. 辈 (bèi): '一代' is more formal and used for broad societal or historical groups. '辈' is more colloquial and often used in family contexts or to describe seniority. For example, '长辈' (zhǎngbèi) means elders, and '晚辈' (wǎnbèi) means the younger generation in a family tree.

他是我的长辈，我必须尊重他。 (He is my elder; I must respect him.)

一代 (yī dài) vs. 时代 (shí dài): As discussed previously, '时代' focuses on the era or time period (e.g., '唐代' - Tang Dynasty era), while '一代' focuses on the people or the succession within that time. You live in an '时代', but you belong to an '一代'.

那个时代充满了变革。 (That era was full of changes.)

我们要为后代保护环境。 (We must protect the environment for our descendants.)

一代 (yī dài) vs. 世纪 (shì jì): '世纪' means 'century' (100 years). While an '一代' is about 30 years, several generations fit into one '世纪'. '世纪' is strictly a measurement of time, whereas '一代' has a much stronger human and social connotation.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

In ancient China, '一代' was often calculated as 30 years, reflecting the time it takes for a person to reach maturity and have their own children.

Pronunciation Guide

UK iː daɪ

US iː daɪ

Equal stress on both syllables, following Mandarin tone rules.

Rhymes With

带 (dài) 袋 (dài) 待 (dài) 戴 (dài) 贷 (dài) 怠 (dài) 逮 (dài) 代替 (dài tì)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'dài' as 'dǎi' (third tone) instead of the fourth tone.
Failing to sustain the first tone 'yī' long enough.
Confusing the 'ai' sound in 'dai' with the 'ei' sound in 'day'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to recognize the characters, but requires context to distinguish between biological and technological meanings.

Writing 3/5

The character '代' has many strokes and can be confused with '带' or '待'.

Speaking 2/5

Simple pronunciation, but the fourth tone on 'dài' must be clear.

Listening 2/5

Very common in news and daily speech; easy to pick up.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

一 (one) 人 (person) 年 (year) 大 (big) 小 (small)

Learn Next

时代 (era) 代表 (represent) 代替 (replace) 后代 (descendants) 代沟 (generation gap)

Advanced

宗师 (grandmaster) 枭雄 (ambitious person) 楷模 (model) 风华 (brilliance) 佼佼者 (standout)

Grammar to Know

Measure word usage of '代'

他家三代都是医生。(His family has been doctors for three generations.)

Adjective + 一代

迷茫的一代 (The lost generation).

Ordinal number + 代

这是第二代改良版。(This is the second generation improved version.)

Demonstrative + 一代

那一代人很有理想。(That generation of people had great ideals.)

Reduplication '一代代'

知识一代代传承。(Knowledge is passed down generation by generation.)

Examples by Level

这是新一代的手表。

This is a new generation watch.

Using '一代' to describe a version of a product.

我们这一代人很幸福。

Our generation is very happy.

The pattern '我们这一代人' (we, this generation of people).

他属于老一代。

He belongs to the older generation.

'老一代' is a common compound noun.

下一代会更好。

The next generation will be better.

'下一代' refers to descendants.

这是第一代手机。

This is the first generation mobile phone.

Ordinal number + '一代'.

年轻一代喜欢上网。

The younger generation likes to go online.

'年轻一代' as the subject.

他们是同一代人。

They are of the same generation.

'同一代' means the same generation.

一代人照顾一代人。

One generation takes care of another.

Repeating '一代' to show relationship.

每一代人都有自己的梦想。

Every generation has its own dreams.

'每一代人' means every generation.

老一代和年轻一代有代沟。

The older and younger generations have a generation gap.

'代沟' (generation gap) uses '代' as a root.

这是第五代电脑。

This is the fifth generation computer.

Specific versioning using '代'.

我们要为下一代保护森林。

We must protect the forests for the next generation.

'为... (do something)' pattern.

这一代的孩子很聪明。

The children of this generation are very smart.

'这一代的' as an adjective phrase.

他影响了整整一代人。

He influenced an entire generation.

'整整' emphasizes the completeness of the generation.

那一代人经历了很多困难。

That generation went through many difficulties.

'那一代人' refers to a past group.

新一代的汽车更省油。

The new generation of cars is more fuel-efficient.

'新一代' used for technology.

这一代年轻人面临巨大的就业压力。

This generation of young people faces huge employment pressure.

Complex subject: '这一代年轻人'.

文化需要一代又一代地传承下去。

Culture needs to be passed down generation after generation.

'一代又一代' indicates continuous succession.

他是那一代中最出色的作家之一。

He is one of the most outstanding writers of that generation.

Comparative structure within a generation.

为了下一代的幸福，我们必须努力。

For the sake of the next generation's happiness, we must work hard.

Purpose clause using '为了'.

这一代人的价值观与父母完全不同。

The values of this generation are completely different from their parents.

Noun phrase: '这一代人的价值观'.

这是中国第一代留学生的故事。

This is the story of China's first generation of overseas students.

Historical categorization.

新一代的教育方式更加灵活。

The new generation of education methods is more flexible.

Describing abstract systems.

每一个时代都会产生一代英雄。

Every era produces a generation of heroes.

Contrast between '时代' and '一代'.

这标志着新一代航天技术的诞生。

This marks the birth of a new generation of aerospace technology.

Formal verb '标志' (marks/signifies).

我们不能把债务留给下一代。

We cannot leave debt to the next generation.

Resultative verb '留给'.

这一代人在全球化的背景下成长。

This generation grew up in the context of globalization.

Prepositional phrase '在...背景下'.

他是公认的一代宗师。

He is recognized as a grandmaster of his generation.

Fixed idiom '一代宗师'.

社会保障制度需要考虑一代人的利益。

The social security system needs to consider the interests of a generation.

Formal noun '利益' (interests/benefits).

这一代独生子女面临着沉重的养老负担。

This generation of only children faces a heavy burden of elderly care.

Specific social term '独生子女' (only child).

这种精神激励了一代又一代的年轻人。

This spirit has inspired generation after generation of young people.

Abstract subject '这种精神'.

新一代的移民正在积极融入当地社会。

The new generation of immigrants is actively integrating into the local society.

Phrasal verb '融入' (integrate).

他的作品定义了那一代人的精神面貌。

His work defined the spiritual outlook of that generation.

Abstract noun '精神面貌' (spiritual outlook).

我们需要反思这一代人的消费主义倾向。

We need to reflect on the consumerist tendencies of this generation.

Formal verb '反思' (reflect/rethink).

这一代学人承接了前人的学术传统。

This generation of scholars has taken up the academic traditions of their predecessors.

Specific term '学人' (scholars).

这一代艺术家的风格具有鲜明的时代特征。

The style of this generation of artists has distinct characteristics of the era.

Connecting '一代' and '时代' conceptually.

技术的迭代更新往往以一代为周期。

Technological iterations often occur in cycles of a generation.

Technical term '迭代更新' (iterative updates).

他是那一代知识分子中的佼佼者。

He was a standout among the intellectuals of that generation.

Idiomatic noun '佼佼者' (standout/top performer).

跨一代的对话对于消除偏见至关重要。

Inter-generational dialogue is crucial for eliminating prejudice.

Compound '跨一代' (cross-generational).

这一代人的命运与国家的兴衰紧密相连。

The fate of this generation is closely linked to the rise and fall of the nation.

Formal expression '紧密相连' (closely linked).

他以一代名臣的身份载入史册。

He was recorded in history as a famous official of his generation.

Classical phrasing '载入史册'.

这一代人的集体无意识在文学中得到了体现。

The collective unconscious of this generation is reflected in literature.

Psychological term '集体无意识'.

新一代的政治精英正在重塑外交政策。

A new generation of political elites is reshaping foreign policy.

Political term '政治精英' (political elite).

这种文化基因在一代代人心中生根发芽。

This cultural gene takes root and sprouts in the hearts of generation after generation.

Metaphorical usage of '生根发芽'.

我们必须警惕这一代人的虚无主义危机。

We must be wary of the crisis of nihilism in this generation.

Philosophical term '虚无主义' (nihilism).

他的一代风华永远留在了胶片上。

His generational brilliance is forever preserved on film.

Poetic term '一代风华' (brilliance of a generation).

这一代人的历史局限性是不可避免的。

The historical limitations of this generation are inevitable.

Academic term '历史局限性'.

这种工艺在一代代的匠人手中臻于完善。

This craft has reached perfection in the hands of generations of artisans.

Formal verb '臻于完善' (reach perfection).

Common Collocations

下一代

年轻一代

第一代

黄金一代

老一代

新一代

一代宗师

一代又一代

同代人

跨一代

Common Phrases

这一代人

— The current generation of people. Used to describe collective traits.

这一代人很看重自我实现。

下一代人

— The people of the following generation. Often used in environmental or economic contexts.

我们要给下一代人留下蓝天。

老一代人

— The elders or the previous generation. Usually implies tradition.

老一代人习惯存钱。

新一代

— The latest version or the emerging group. High-tech or modern.

新一代领导集体。

一代传一代

— Passed down through generations. Emphasizes heritage.

这个手艺是一代传一代的。

一代不如一代

— Each generation is worse than the last. A pessimistic view.

有些老人觉得现在一代不如一代。

一代枭雄

— A powerful and ambitious figure of an era. Often used for historical villains or anti-heroes.

曹操被认为是一代枭雄。

一代风流

— The distinguished talent or romantic brilliance of a generation.

数风流人物，还看今朝。

一代才子

— A gifted scholar or genius of the generation.

他是公认的一代才子。

一代伟人

— A great person/leader of a generation.

毛泽东是一代伟人。

Often Confused With

一代 vs 时代

时代 refers to the era/time period; 一代 refers to the group of people.

一代 vs 一辈子

一辈子 refers to an individual's whole life; 一代 refers to a collective generation.

一代 vs 一袋

一袋 means 'a bag of' (e.g., a bag of rice). Same pronunciation, different meaning.

Idioms & Expressions

"一代宗师"

— A great master of his time; a leader in a particular field of learning or art.

他在绘画领域被尊为一代宗师。

Formal

"一代不如一代"

— Each generation is worse than the last; declining quality over time.

这种老观念认为年轻人一代不如一代。

Informal

"一代枭雄"

— A formidable and ambitious person of a generation, often with a ruthless side.

他白手起家，终成一代枭雄。

Literary

"江山代有才人出"

— Every generation has its own talents; new geniuses emerge in every era.

江山代有才人出，各领风骚数百年。

Literary

"世代相传"

— Passed down from generation to generation.

这是我们家世代相传的宝贝。

Neutral

"一代伟人"

— A great person of a generation.

他是当之无愧的一代伟人。

Formal

"一代风流"

— The outstanding figures of a generation.

那一时期的诗人真是一代风流。

Literary

"一代楷模"

— A model or example for a generation.

他的品德是一代楷模。

Formal

"名噪一代"

— To be famous throughout a generation.

他在当时名噪一代。

Literary

"一代天骄"

— The pride of a generation; an exceptionally gifted person.

成吉思汗，一代天骄。

Literary

Easily Confused

一代 vs 年代

Both relate to time and history.

年代 (niándài) refers to a specific decade or era (e.g., the 90s), while 一代 refers to the people living in it.

在那个年代，生活很苦。(In that decade, life was hard.)

一代 vs 朝代

Both use the character '代'.

朝代 (cháodài) specifically refers to a political dynasty (e.g., Ming Dynasty).

唐朝是一个伟大的朝代。(The Tang Dynasty was a great dynasty.)

一代 vs 代替

Uses the character '代'.

代替 (dàitì) is a verb meaning 'to replace' or 'to substitute'.

机器人无法代替人类。(Robots cannot replace humans.)

一代 vs 后代

Very similar in meaning.

后代 (hòudài) specifically means descendants/offspring, while 一代 is more general.

他在为后代写家谱。(He is writing a family tree for his descendants.)

一代 vs 辈分

Related to family generations.

辈分 (bèifèn) refers to one's rank or status within a family hierarchy.

按辈分，我得叫他叔叔。(According to family rank, I should call him uncle.)

Sentence Patterns

这是第[Number]代[Noun]。

这是第一代手机。

[Adjective]一代喜欢[Verb]。

年轻一代喜欢上网。

为了下一代的[Noun]，我们应该[Verb]。

为了下一代的幸福，我们应该努力。

这一代人见证了[Event]。

这一代人见证了互联网的兴起。

[Person]被誉为一代[Title]。

他被誉为一代名医。

[Concept]在这一代人心中[Verb]。

爱国精神在这一代人心中生根发芽。

[Noun]一代传一代。

这个秘密一代传一代。

我们是同一代人。

我和他是同一代人。

Word Family

Nouns

时代 (era)

代表 (representative)

后代 (descendants)

交代 (explanation)

替代品 (substitute)

Verbs

代替 (to replace)

代理 (to act as agent)

代购 (to buy on behalf of others)

代领 (to collect on behalf of others)

Adjectives

代用的 (substitute/makeshift)

现代的 (modern)

当代的 (contemporary)

辈 (generation/rank)

世 (generation/world)

纪 (era/discipline)

年 (year)

岁 (year/age)

How to Use It

frequency

Very high in both daily life and media.

Common Mistakes

Using '一代' for an individual's life. → 我这一辈子都在努力。
Use '一辈子' for an individual. '一代' is for a collective group.
Saying '一代时代' to mean 'one era'. → 一个时代。
Do not combine them. They are separate concepts.
Using '一代' as a general measure word for things. → 一袋苹果。
'一袋' (a bag) sounds the same but is a different character. '一代' is for generations.
Omitting '人' when referring to people. → 我们这一代人很努力。
While '这一代' can stand alone, adding '人' makes it much clearer when referring to a social group.
Using '一代' for short periods of time. → 那段时期。
'一代' implies a span of roughly 30 years. For shorter periods, use '时期' or '阶段'.

Tips

Using with Demonstratives

Always pair '一代' with '这' (this) or '那' (that) when referring to a specific group of people you are discussing. Just saying '一代人' without a pointer sounds incomplete.

Decade Labels

To sound like a native, learn the '80后', '90后', and '00后' labels. These are much more common than saying '1980年代出生的一代人'.

Tech Talk

When describing software or hardware versions, use '第[Number]代'. For example, '第二代芯片' (second generation chip).

Respecting Elders

Use '老一代' when speaking respectfully about the experiences of older people. It carries a sense of weight and history.

Reduplication

Use '一代代' or '一代又一代' to emphasize the long duration of a tradition. It adds a poetic quality to your writing.

Measure Word Clues

If you hear a number followed by '代', pay attention to the noun that follows. It will tell you if the speaker is talking about a person's lineage or a product's version.

Honorifics

Use '一代宗师' sparingly. It is a very high honor and should only be applied to individuals who have truly revolutionized their field.

一代 vs 时代

Remember: People belong to an '一代', but events happen in a '时代'. You can't live 'in a generation', you are 'part of a generation'.

Tone Mastery

The falling fourth tone on 'dài' is crucial. If you say it with a rising tone, it might be confused with '带' (to bring) in some contexts.

Future Focus

When talking about the future, '下一代' is your go-to phrase. It's used for everything from climate change discussions to family planning.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of '一' (one) '代' (dying out) - when one generation 'dies out', the next one takes over. Or 'One' 'Day' (dài sounds like dye/day) - a generation is just one long day in history.

Visual Association

Imagine a family tree with a single line connecting three people. That single line represents '一代'.

Word Web

Generation Family Technology Era Replacement Descendants Succession Legacy

Challenge

Try to use '一代' to describe your favorite piece of technology and your family's history in the same paragraph.

Word Origin

The character '一' means one. '代' consists of the 'person' radical (亻) and '弋' (yì), originally meaning to replace or take turns. Together, they signify one 'replacement' or one cycle of people.

Original meaning: A single stage in the succession of people or things.

Sino-Tibetan

Cultural Context

Be careful when using '一代不如一代' as it can be very offensive to younger people, implying they are lazy or incompetent compared to their elders.

Similar to Western labels like Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Z, but Chinese labels are strictly by birth decade.

Movie: 'The Grandmaster' (一代宗师) by Wong Kar-wai. Poem: 'Snow' by Mao Zedong (一代天骄，成吉思汗). Book: 'The Lost Generation' (迷茫的一代) - translated term widely used in Chinese academia.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Family History

祖孙三代
一代单传
家传一代
为了下一代

Technology Reviews

第一代产品
新一代芯片
技术迭代
下一代更新

Sociological Discussions

年轻一代
老一代
这一代人的命运
代沟问题

Historical Biographies

一代宗师
一代名将
名噪一代
那一代的记忆

Environmentalism

造福下一代
留给下一代
一代人的责任
为了后代

Conversation Starters

"你觉得我们这一代人和父母那一代人最大的区别是什么？"

"你最喜欢哪一代的手机或者电脑？"

"你认为新一代的年轻人更有创造力吗？"

"你家有什么世代相传的宝贝或者习惯吗？"

"你觉得哪位明星可以被称为“一代偶像”？"

Journal Prompts

写一写你对“年轻一代”这个词的看法。你觉得自己属于这一代吗？

描述一下你希望为下一代人创造什么样的世界。

记录一次你与老一代人（如爷爷奶奶）的对话，讨论一下两代人的差异。

如果你是一代宗师，你最想在哪个领域取得成就？为什么？

分析一下新一代科技（如人工智能）对你生活的影响。

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, '一代' is frequently used for technology and products to denote a version or model, such as '第一代电脑' (first generation computer). It can also be used metaphorically for animals or even ideas.

'这一代' is more formal and used in broad social contexts. '这辈人' is more colloquial and often used when talking about family or personal experiences. Both are generally interchangeable in casual speech.

Historically and sociologically, '一代' is usually considered to be about 30 years. However, in technology, '一代' can be as short as 1-2 years (e.g., iPhone generations).

Generally, no. You use it for versions of things (like software or hardware) or groups of people. You cannot say '一代书' to mean 'a pile of books' or 'a generation of books' unless it's a very specific literary metaphor.

While famous because of martial arts movies, '一代宗师' can be used for any grandmaster in any field, such as painting, literature, or philosophy.

'80后' refers to the generation born in the 1980s. It is a specific way of naming '这一代人' based on their birth decade.

The word is '代沟' (dàigōu), where '代' comes from '一代' and '沟' means ditch or gap.

Yes, it functions as a noun, but it often acts as a classifier or part of a descriptive phrase (e.g., '新一代产品').

No. '一次' means 'one time'. '一代' strictly refers to a generation or era.

In this context, it emphasizes that the person was a dominant figure of their specific era or generation.