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答对 (dá duì) — to answer correctly; to give the right answer

Definition

答对 is a verb-complement: the verb 答 (answer) plus 对 (correctly), meaning 'answer correctly'. Note the negation form 答不对 shown in the examples.

verb
to answer correctlyto give the right answer

Examples

  • 答对。
    Zhè cì kǎo shì tā quán dōu dá duì le.
    He answered all questions correctly in this exam.
  • ，。
    Zhè dào tí tài nán le, wǒ dá bú duì.
    This question is too hard; I can't answer it correctly.
  • 答对？
    Nǐ néng dá duì zhè ge wèn tí ma?
    Can you answer this question correctly?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

答dáanswer
对duìcorrect

答 gives answer, and 对 gives correct, so the action ends in a right reply.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
合
合hé答dá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

答 pairs 竹 (bamboo) with 合 as the sound part; the bamboo top replaced an older grass part by mistake.

Open 答 →

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 →
Appears in
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