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答复 (dá fù) — to answer, to reply

Definition

答复 is a formal verb for 'reply' or 'respond', often to questions, requests, or letters. More formal and written than the everyday 回答, and typically takes a person (答复我) rather than a question directly.

verb
to answerto reply

Examples

  • 答复。
    Qǐng jǐn kuài dá fù wǒ.
    Please reply to me as soon as possible.
  • 答复。
    Tā hái méi yǒu dá fù wǒ de wèn tí.
    He hasn't answered my question yet.
  • 答复？
    Nǐ shén me shí hou néng dá fù wǒ men?
    When can you reply to us?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

答dáanswer
复fùreply

答 and 复 both mean answer or reply; together they mean to give a 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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 復; 复 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 复 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (复习, 恢复) it is 復; in others (复印, 复杂) (答复, 反复) it is 複 or 覆.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chìwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
复
复fù復fù
Same sound today

The traditional form 復 combines 彳, a walking part, with 复, a sound part, to show walking back and forth.

Open 复 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Communication & Speech

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