带 (dài) is the verb for carrying something along on your person — having it with you as you go: 带钱 (bring money), 带伞 (bring an umbrella), 带护照 (bring a passport). English splits this into "bring" (toward here) and "take" (away from here); Chinese uses the single verb 带 plus a direction word 来 or 去 to sort that out. 带 stretches further still — to "lead / guide" (带路, 带孩子) and even to a noun, "belt / band / tape" (皮带, 领带). And it shares its pronunciation with 戴 (dài) "wear an accessory," a character it is constantly confused with.
Sense 1: bring / carry along on your person
The core sense is "have X with you." It's what you check before leaving the house. Negated with 没 (没带 "didn't bring / don't have on me").
出门别忘了带护照。
chūmén bié wàng le dài hùzhào
Don't forget to bring your passport when you head out. — 带 'carry along'.
不好意思，我没带现金。
bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ méi dài xiànjīn
Sorry, I don't have any cash on me. — 没带 'didn't bring / don't have on me'.
山上风大，带件外套吧。
shān shàng fēng dà, dài jiàn wàitào ba
It's windy up the mountain — bring a jacket. (informal) — 带 + 件外套.
Sense 2: 带 + 来/去 = bring vs take
Direction is set by a following 来 or 去: 带来 (dàilái) "bring (toward the speaker)," 带去 (dàiqù) "take (away from the speaker)." This is exactly the English bring/take contrast, handled by one verb plus a directional.
你带伞来了吗？
nǐ dài sǎn lái le ma
Did you bring an umbrella? — 带…来, motion toward the speaker.
我带你去医院。
wǒ dài nǐ qù yīyuàn
I'll take you to the hospital. — 带…去, motion away; here 带 also 'accompany'.
我给大家带了点儿家乡的特产。
wǒ gěi dàjiā dài le diǎnr jiāxiāng de tèchǎn
I brought everyone some specialties from my hometown. — 给…带 'bring for someone'.
Sense 3: lead / guide / look after
带 extends from "carry a thing" to "carry a person along" — leading, guiding, mentoring, or raising. 带路 (lead the way), 带孩子 (mind the kids), 带团 (lead a tour group), 带徒弟 (train an apprentice).
她辞了工作，在家带孩子。
tā cí le gōngzuò, zài jiā dài háizi
She quit her job to raise the kids at home. — 带孩子 'look after children'.
老师傅带了三个徒弟。
lǎo shīfu dài le sān ge túdì
The master took on three apprentices. — 带徒弟 'mentor, train'.
这里我不熟，你带路吧。
zhèlǐ wǒ bù shú, nǐ dài lù ba
I don't know this place — you lead the way. — 带路 'lead the way'.
Sense 4: the noun 带 (belt / band / tape)
As a noun, 带 is a long strip-like object. It appears in compounds far more than alone.
这条皮带是真皮的。
zhè tiáo pídài shì zhēnpí de
This belt is genuine leather. — 皮带 'belt', measure word 条.
Key collocations
| Phrase | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 带钱 | dài qián | bring money |
| 带伞 | dài sǎn | bring an umbrella |
| 带来 | dàilái | bring (here) |
| 带去 | dàiqù | take (there) |
| 带路 | dài lù | lead the way |
| 带孩子 | dài háizi | look after / raise kids |
| 皮带 | pídài | belt |
| 领带 | lǐngdài | necktie |
Grammar notes: 带 vs 拿 vs 送, and the 戴 homophone
带 takes 了 and directional complements (带来, 带走 "take away," 带回 "bring back"). Its meaning sits between two neighbours: 拿 (ná) is "take hold of / grab / fetch" — hands-on, usually something near you — whereas 带 is "have with you as you travel." 送 (sòng) is "deliver / see off," moving something or someone to a destination for the other person's sake. Roughly: you 拿 the umbrella off the rack, 带 it with you out the door, and 送 it to a friend who forgot theirs.
The single biggest pitfall is the character 戴 (dài) "wear an accessory," a perfect homophone. 带帽子 and 戴帽子 are both grammatical but mean different things: 带帽子 = "bring a hat (along)," 戴帽子 = "wear a hat." Choose by meaning — see the 穿 vs 戴 wearing verbs page.
Common Mistakes
1. Writing 带 (bring) when you mean 戴 (wear). Same sound, different character and meaning.
❌ 天冷要带帽子。
If you mean 'wear a hat', this is the wrong character — 带帽子 means 'bring a hat'. Use 戴帽子.
✅ 天冷要戴帽子。
tiān lěng yào dài màozi
You should wear a hat when it's cold.
2. Dropping 来/去 when direction matters. For "bring it (here)," the directional is not optional.
❌ 请把那本书带。
Incomplete — a bare 带 leaves the direction hanging. Add 来 or 去.
✅ 请把那本书带来。
qǐng bǎ nà běn shū dàilái
Please bring that book (here).
3. Using 拿 for "bring along on a trip." 拿 is grab/fetch nearby; 带 is carry-with-you.
❌ 出国要拿护照。
Odd — 拿 is 'grab / hold'; for 'take a passport abroad with you' use 带.
✅ 出国要带护照。
chūguó yào dài hùzhào
You need to bring your passport when going abroad.
4. Confusing 带 (accompany/take along) with 送 (see off / deliver). 送 focuses on delivering to the destination for someone.
❌ 我带你回家，然后自己走回来。
If you mean 'see you home' (and leave), that's 送, not 带 — 带 implies you go together, staying together.
✅ 我送你回家。
wǒ sòng nǐ huí jiā
I'll see you home.
Key Takeaways
- 带 = "carry along on your person / have with you" — 带钱, 带伞, 带护照; negate with 没带.
- One verb, both directions: 带来 = bring (here), 带去 = take (there).
- 带 also means "lead / look after" — 带路, 带孩子, 带徒弟 — and, as a noun, a strip: 皮带, 领带.
- Keep the trio distinct: 拿 grab/fetch, 带 carry-with-you, 送 deliver/see off.
- The homophone trap: 戴 (wear an accessory) vs 带 (bring) — both dài, chosen by meaning, not sound.
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- 拿 (ná) — take / hold / carry (in the hand)HSK 2 — 拿 (ná) is the hands-on verb — grab, pick up, hold, fetch: 拿书, 拿着伞, 拿来, 拿走. It works as an instrument coverb (拿筷子吃) and hides in 拿手 'be good at'. The key contrast: you 拿 things in your hand, but 带 them along on a trip.
- 送 (sòng) — give (a gift) / see off / deliverHSK 2 — 送 (sòng) is a warmer, more specific 'give': present something as a gift (送礼物), see someone off or walk them somewhere (送你回家), or deliver goods (送外卖). Plain hand-over — 'pass me the salt' — is 给, not 送.
- 来 (lái) — to comeHSK 1 — 来 (lái) is 'come (toward the speaker)' — a full verb (他来了), a directional marker (进来, 拿来, 回来), a serial 'come / let me' (我来帮你), the diner's 'I'll have' (来一个), and 'bring about' (带来). It always points motion toward the here-and-now; 去 points away.