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对了 (duì le) — (used after a verb) correctly; right (as in 猜对了, 答对了); (sentence-initial discourse marker) oh, that's right; by the way

Definition

对了 (duì le) has two unrelated uses: after a verb it marks an action as correct (猜对了 'guessed right'); sentence-initially it's a discourse marker meaning 'oh, that's right' or 'by the way'.

verb
(used after a verb) correctlyright (as in 猜对了, 答对了)(sentence-initial discourse marker) ohthat's rightby the way

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè cì nǐ zhōng yú dá duì le liǎo.
    This time you finally answered correctly.
  • 对了，。
    duì le, Wǒ wàng le gào sù nǐ men yí jiàn shì.
    Oh, that's right — I forgot to tell you something.
  • ，对了。
    Tā jiǎn chá le sān biàn, què rèn méi yǒu xiě duì le.
    He checked three times to confirm he hadn't written it incorrectly.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 對; 对 is its simplified writing.

For the traditional form 對, the shape comes from an early drawing of 丵 (a digging tool), 土 (earth), and 又 (a hand); it may have meant developing land.

Open 对 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

了 was once drawn to show a baby with no arms; some old comments say it showed crossed or tangled legs.

Open 了 →
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