答道 (dá dào) — (verb) to answer, to reply | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A literary verb meaning 'to answer / reply' — used almost only in formal writing and fixed phrases like 答道 and 答道. In everyday speech, use 回答 instead.

verb

to answerto reply

Easily confused

达到dá dàosound-aliketo reach, to achieve, to attain

Examples

答道。
Tā dá dào wán wèn tí jiù zuò xià le.
He sat down after answering the question.
，答道。
Lǎo shī xiàng tā tí wèn, tā lì jí dá dào.
The teacher asked him a question, and he answered immediately.
答道。
Zhè ge nán tí tā zhōng yú dá dào chū lái le.
He finally answered this difficult question.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

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

答dáanswer

答 means answer and 道 means say; together they denote replying in words.

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.

竹合答

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.

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

行行xíngstreet

止止zhǐfoot

Sound part声符shēngfú

𩠐

首shǒu道dào

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

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