答 (dá) — to answer, to reply, to respond
Definition
答 (dá) is the short, single-character 'answer, reply' — usually a verb meaning to give an answer (a question, a riddle). 答复 is the more formal written form.
verb
to answerto replyto respond
Examples
- 。Qǐng huí dá wǒ de wèn tí.Please answer my question.
- 。Zhè dào tí tā dá duì le.He answered this question correctly.
- 答？Nǐ néng dá chū lái ma?Can you figure out the answer?
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
答 pairs 竹 (bamboo) with 合 as the sound part; the bamboo top replaced an older grass part by mistake.
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