交代 jiāodài to transfer (duties to somebody else)
to transfer (duties to somebody else); to give instructions; to tell (somebody to do something); to explain; to give an account; to brief; to confess; to account for oneself; (jocular) to come to a bad end
How to remember 交代: 交 hand over + 代 era = to transfer (duties to somebody else).
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How it is used
- To brief/instruct or hand over duties - 领导交代的任务 (lǐngdǎo jiāodài de rènwu) the task the boss assigned; also 'to explain/account for': 交代清楚 (jiāodài qīngchu) to lay out clearly.
- A third key sense is 'to confess': 向警方交代罪行 (xiàng jǐngfāng jiāodài zuìxíng) to confess one's crimes to police.
- Very versatile in speech; the thread is 'to pass on / make clear' - instructions, an account, or a confession.