代
Meanings
Used for monetary charges, fees, or prices. Often appears as a suffix on specific nouns (e.g., 電気代, 食事代).
This month's electricity bill was high.
The meal charge is 3000 yen per person.
generation; age; school year; cohort; reign
Refers to a generation of people, a school year cohort, or a historical reign. Often used as a suffix (e.g., 20代, 昭和代).
He started his business in his twenties.
I'm of the generation born in the Heisei era.
Geological era. Technical term used in geology.
The Mesozoic Era is the age of dinosaurs.
representative of; on behalf of; for (someone)
Used after a person's name or title to mean 'on behalf of' or 'representing'. Common in formal contexts.
I attended the meeting on behalf of the president.
Used after a phone number to indicate a main switchboard number. Often seen in business contact information.
See also: 代表電話番号
For inquiries, call 03-1234-5678 (main switchboard).
counter for decades, eras, generations
Counter used for decades of age (e.g., 20代), historical eras, or generations of rulers. Covers both decades and generational succession.
It's a brand popular with women in their thirties.
Who was the second president?
proxy application company (abbr.)
Abbreviation of 代理申請会社. Rare standalone use; mainly seen in business contexts.
See also: 代理申請会社
I had a proxy application company submit these documents.
pronoun (abbr., dictionary use)
Abbreviation of 代名詞, used in dictionaries and linguistic contexts. Not used in everyday speech.
See also: 代名詞
In dictionaries, it is sometimes abbreviated as 代.
Usage patterns
- 〈物〉代を払うto pay the cost/fee for something (e.g. a utility bill)
I forgot to pay the electricity bill.
- 〈数〉代の〈人〉a person in their (decade) age range
He is a company employee in his thirties.
- 〈人〉の代にin someone's generation/era; during someone's time
This shop was started in my grandfather's generation.
Expressions
- 末代までforever; eternally; for generations to come
- 代が変わるchange hands; be succeeded
- 失われた世代lost generation
- 問うは一度の恥、問わぬは末代の恥Better to ask and be embarrassed than not ask and never know
- 問うは一旦の恥、問わぬは末代の恥better to ask and be embarrassed than not ask and never know
- 聞くは一時の恥、聞かぬは末代の恥better to ask and be embarrassed than not ask and never know