Definitions

dǎo (verb) pound; beat
dǎo (verb) disturb; stir up trouble

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "捣", whose traditional form is "搗", denotes actions like pounding, beating, or stirring, and its structure is a phono-semantic compound combining the hand radical (扌) to signal manual activity with the phonetic component "岛" (or "島" in traditional) providing the sound "dǎo". Etymologically, this character originally referred to the concrete act of crushing or mashing materials, such as in medicinal preparation. Over time, its meaning extended to more abstract or disruptive actions, exemplified in compounds like "捣乱" which means to create disturbance.

Example Sentences Hide

妹妹在蛋。

Mèimei zài dǎodàn.

Younger sister is playing tricks.

乱,我在工作。

Bié dǎoluàn, wǒ zài gōngzuò.

Don't cause trouble, I'm working.

孩子们喜欢蛋。

Háizimen xǐhuān dǎodàn.

Children like to play tricks.

他用锤子碎了核桃。

Tā yòng chuízi dǎosuìle hétao.

He crushed the walnuts with a hammer.

乱分子会被处罚。

Dǎoluàn fènzǐ huì bèi chǔfá.

Troublemakers will be punished.

虽然弟弟很调皮,但他不是故意乱。

Suīrán dìdi hěn tiáopí, dàn tā bùshì gùyì dǎoluàn.

Although younger brother is very naughty, he doesn't cause trouble on purpose.

在实验室里,我们常用研钵碎样品。

Zài shíyàn shì lǐ, wǒmen cháng yòng yánbō dǎosuì yàngpǐn.

In the laboratory, we often use a mortar to crush samples.

碎这些香料是为了让菜肴更美味。

Dǎosuì zhèxiē xiāngliào shì wèile ràng càiyáo gèng měiwèi.

Crushing these spices is to make the dish more delicious.