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March 24, 2026
叨dāo(dao1)
The character 叨 (dāo) primarily means to talk excessively or to grumble. It often describes someone who is garrulous, sharing too much information or complaining frequently. This word is usually used in informal contexts to convey annoyance or to describe someone who is overly chatty.
Strokes5Radical口Frequency#11403DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, excessive talking or grumbling can be viewed negatively, especially if it disrupts social harmony. The concept of being too talkative is often associated with individuals who cannot keep personal matters private.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person with a loud mouth (the sound 'dāo' resembles 'dao', as in 'talking a lot') who can't stop talking about their grievances. The character 叨 has the radical for 'speech' (口) on the left, hinting at its relation to talking or speaking.
Meanings of 叨
dāo(dao1)
primary
1garrulous
2to receive the benefit of
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 叨
叨Simplified
5Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#11403Frequency Rank
Podcast: 叨
Podcast: 叨
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AI Study Notes for 叨
Quick Contrast
唠 (láo) - use 叨 (dāo) when emphasizing excessive complaining or annoyance, while 唠 (láo) is more neutral for chatting.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone; 叨 can carry a negative connotation, so it's best suited for informal settings among friends rather than formal discussions. Common collocations include 叨叨 (dāodāo), which emphasizes the repetitive nature of talkativeness. Avoid using it in serious discussions to prevent sounding rude.
HSK Study Tips
Although 叨 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other words related to speech and communication. Students should focus on understanding its informal context and practice using it in conversational Mandarin.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 叨 with 说 (shuō), which means 'to speak' or 'to say.' For example, saying '我叨这件事' (I talk about this matter) is incorrect; it should be '我说这件事' (I talk about this matter) unless emphasizing grumbling.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 叨
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Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 刀 represents the sound.
1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
2The sound half刀 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymouth
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 叨? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 叨?
Decomposition of 叨
IDS Structure⿰口刀
叨Full Character
=
口kou3
left
刀Dao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 叨?
How to say garrulous in Chinese
“garrulous” in Chinese is叨dāo
The character 叨 (dāo) primarily means to talk excessively or to grumble. It often describes someone who is garrulous, sharing too much information or complaining frequently. This word is usually used in informal contexts to convey annoyance or to describe someone who is overly chatty.
When to use 叨
Be cautious with the tone; 叨 can carry a negative connotation, so it's best suited for informal settings among friends rather than formal discussions. Common collocations include 叨叨 (dāodāo), which emphasizes the repetitive nature of talkativeness. Avoid using it in serious discussions to prevent sounding rude.
叨 or something close to it
唠 (láo) - use 叨 (dāo) when emphasizing excessive complaining or annoyance, while 唠 (láo) is more neutral for chatting.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 叨 with 说 (shuō), which means 'to speak' or 'to say.' For example, saying '我叨这件事' (I talk about this matter) is incorrect; it should be '我说这件事' (I talk about this matter) unless emphasizing grumbling.
Write 叨
叨
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Practice writing 叨 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 叨
叨 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
