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In Korea, this Hanja character is read as 대.

It refers to a high, flat place or a platform. I didn’t make this video to teach you how to write it stroke by stroke. Honestly, I’m making this because I’m a bit tired of people asking, “Wait, does 대 mean ‘Big'(大) here?” and having to explain, “No, this is a different ‘Dae’!” Let’s look at some common words where “대”(臺) actually means a platform or a stand.

• 무대 (舞臺): stage (for performances)
• 대본 (臺本): script
• 침대 (寢臺): bed
• 수술대 (手術臺) [수술때]: operating table
• 운전대 (運轉臺) [운전때]: steering wheel
• 독서대 (讀書臺): book stand
• 화장대 (化粧臺): dressing table, vanity
• 빨래건조대 (빨래-乾燥臺): drying rack for laundry
• 싱크대 (Sink-臺): sink

• 거치대 (据置臺): stand
• 진열대 (陳列臺) [진열때]: display stand

Let’s look at 거치대 and 진열대. Depending on the context, these can refer to very specific types of stands. 

First, 거치하다 is the Sino-Korean version of the native Korean verb “두다”, which means “to place” or “to set.” So, a 거치대 is “a high, flat object where you place things.” In daily life, you’ll often see a 휴대폰 거치대 or a 헤드폰 거치대.

As for 진열대, the most common example is a 상품진열대 (Product display stand) found in stores.

• 골대 (goal-臺) [꼴때]: goalpost
• 촛대 (초-臺) [촏때]: gandle holder

For 촛대, it’s a stand to hold a candle. Interestingly, back in the era of King Sejong, it was common to place the consonant “ㅅ” between two words when forming a compound noun. It acted like the word “of,” marking the boundary between the words and making the following sound tenser.

• 등대 (燈臺): lighthouse
• 분수대 (噴水臺): fountain
• 농구대 (籠球臺): basketball hoop
• 냄비받침대 (냄비-받침-臺) [냄비받침때]: potholder

• 대만 (臺灣): Taiwan
• 청와대 (靑瓦臺): The Blue House
• 해운대 (海雲臺): Haeundae
• 천문대 (天文臺): astronomical observatory
• 전망대 (展望臺): observatory, observation deck
• 탁구대 (卓球臺) [탁꾸대]: ping-pong table