verb HSK 2
to answer · to reply · to respond
Meaning
答 means to answer or respond to a question, request, or statement. It's a fundamental verb used in daily communication when someone provides a response or reply to something asked or said.
Usage
答 is commonly used in both spoken and written Mandarin. It typically appears in compound words like 回答 (huídá, to answer) or 答应 (dāying, to promise/agree). When used alone, it's more formal or literary; in everyday speech, 回答 is more common.
Examples
- 01老师问了一个问题，但是没有人答。, .The teacher asked a question, but no one answered.
- 02这道题很难答。.This question is very difficult to answer.
Common collocations
- 答题to answer questions (on a test)
- 答案'answer, solution
- 答卷to answer exam questions, answer sheet
- 问答question and answer
Antonyms
Origin
The character 答 consists of the bamboo radical 竹 on top and 合 (to join/match) below, suggesting the idea of matching or corresponding to something said, hence 'to answer'.