Definitions

dòu (verb) to tease; to play with
dòu (verb) to pause; to stop briefly
dòu (adjective) amusing

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "逗" is structurally composed of the movement radical 辶 combined with the phonetic element 豆, which provides its sound. Initially denoting a pause or halt in motion, the term reflected a physical cessation, but over time its application broadened to describe the act of detaining attention through playful means. This gradual semantic expansion led to the character acquiring connotations of teasing or amusing someone, shifting from a literal interruption to a social interaction intended to entertain. While its written form has remained consistent, the evolution in meaning from stopping to provoking laughter demonstrates how linguistic usage adapted to encompass more abstract forms of engagement.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他在小狗玩。

Tā zài dòu xiǎo gǒu wán.

He is playing with the puppy.

妹妹被哥哥笑了。

Mèimei bèi gēge dòu xiào le.

The younger sister was made to laugh by her older brother.

我们在公园留了一会儿。

Wǒmen zài gōngyuán dòuliú le yīhuìr.

We stayed in the park for a while.

我了,我说真的。

Bié dòu wǒ le, wǒ shuō zhēn de.

Don't tease me, I'm serious.

他经常用笑话大家开心。

Tā jīngcháng yòng xiàohua dòu dàjiā kāixīn.

He often uses jokes to amuse everyone.

小猫得孩子们哈哈大笑。

Xiǎo māo dòu dé háizimen hāhā dàxiào.

The kitten amused the children so much that they laughed heartily.

他在会议上趣的发言缓解了紧张气氛。

Tā zài huìyì shàng dòuqù de fāyán huǎnjiě le jǐnzhāng qìfēn.

His humorous speech at the meeting eased the tense atmosphere.

尽管天气不好,他们还是在海边留了整个下午。

Jǐnguǎn tiānqì bù hǎo, tāmen háishì zài hǎibiān dòuliú le zhěnggè xiàwǔ.

Despite the bad weather, they still stayed at the beach the whole afternoon.