逗弄 (dòu lòng) — to tease, to kid (playfully provoke someone)

Definition

Means to tease or playfully provoke someone, with a light, playful tone — distinct from 开玩笑, which centers on joking around, and from 耍, which is more active play-acting.

verb
to teaseto kid (playfully provoke someone)

Examples

  • 逗弄，。
    Bié dòu lòng dì di le, tā kuài kū le.
    Stop teasing your little brother — he's about to cry.
  • 逗弄，。
    Tā xǐ huan dòu lòng nà zhī māo, kàn tā tiào lái tiào qù.
    She likes to tease that cat and watch it jump around.
  • 逗弄，。
    Tā zǒng ài dòu lòng tóng shì, dàn dà jiā dōu bù shēng qì.
    He always likes to tease his colleagues, but nobody gets angry.

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.

逗dòutease
弄nòngplay with

逗 “tease” and 弄 “play with” together mean playfully provoke someone.

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
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu逗dòu
Same sound today

逗 pairs 辶, written in full as 辵, with 豆, which gives the sound.

Open 逗 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The form 弄 combines 玉 (jade) with 廾 (hands), showing hands touching or handling jade.

Open 弄 →

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