The word "搭理" (dāli) is formed through the compounding of two near-synonymous characters: "搭" (dā), which carries connotations of connecting, engaging, or striking up a conversation, and "理" (lǐ), which means to manage, heed, or pay attention to. By combining these two verbal roots, the compound creates a more specific and colloquial verb meaning "to acknowledge," "to respond to," or "to bother engaging with someone," often used in contexts where such engagement might be withheld, as in the common negative phrase "不爱搭理" (not inclined to acknowledge/respond). This formation follows a typical pattern in Chinese where two characters with related meanings are joined to reinforce a shared semantic field, resulting in a word with a nuanced, often informal, usage.