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絮叨 (xù dao) — (adjective) long-winded; garrulous; (verb) to ramble; to talk endlessly

Definition

Describes a person or their speech as long-winded and repetitive, often naggingly so. Less literary than 冗长 (which fits writing), and stronger / more annoying than 啰唆.

adjective
long-windedgarrulous
verb
to rambleto talk endlessly

Examples

  • 絮叨，。
    Tā shuō huà tài xù dao le, méi rén yuàn yì tīng.
    He is too long-winded; nobody wants to listen.
  • 絮叨，。
    Nǐ bié xù dao le, shuō zhòng diǎn ba.
    Stop rambling; get to the point.
  • 絮叨。
    Tā xù dao le bàn tiān yě méi shuō qīng chǔ.
    He rambled for a long time and still didn't explain clearly.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

絮xùtalk repeatedly
叨dāotalk endlessly

The 絮 and 叨 both suggest endless, repetitive talk, so the sense is long-winded or rambling.

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
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
如
如rú絮xù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

絮 pairs 糸, a silk-related part, with 如, which gives the sound rú.

Open 絮 →

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
刀
刀dāo叨dāo
Same sound today

叨 combines 口, the mouth part, with 刀, the sound part.

Open 叨 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Communication & SpeechPersonality & Traits

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