咄

duō

出 + 口

Definitions

duō (old)(interjection expressing disapproval, commiseration etc) tut!; Taiwan pr. [duò]

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 出 represents the sound.

Semantic: 口 Phonetic: 出

About

The character 咄 is a phono-semantic compound: the mouth radical 口 on the left shows the meaning relates to vocal expression, while the phonetic component 出 on the right provides the pronunciation and suggests sound issuing outward. Historically, it represented a sudden sharp exclamation of surprise, dismay, or scolding. In modern usage, it is almost exclusively found in four-character idioms describing someone acting in an aggressive, overbearing, or fiercely commanding manner during a verbal confrontation.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他咄咄地表示反对。

tā duōduō de biǎoshì fǎnduì.

He expressed opposition with a tut-tut.

面对错误，他咄咄地指责。

miàn duì cuò wù, tā duōduō de zhǐ zé.

Facing the mistake, he accused with a tut-tut.

他冷冷地咄了一声。

tā lěng lěng de duō le yī shēng.

He coldly uttered a "duō" sound.

在会议上，他咄咄地提出质疑。

zài huì yì shàng, tā duōduō de tí chū zhì yí.

At the meeting, he raised doubts with a tut-tut.

看到结果后，他咄咄地表示不满，然后离开了房间。

kàn dào jié guǒ hòu, tā duōduō de biǎoshì bù mǎn, rán hòu lí kāi le fáng jiān.

After seeing the result, he expressed dissatisfaction with a tut-tut, then left the room.

他咄咄的语气让气氛紧张。

tā duōduō de yǔ qì ràng qì fēn jǐn zhāng.

His tut-tut tone made the atmosphere tense.

每当有人提出不同意见，他总会咄咄地反驳，毫不留情。

měi dāng yǒu rén tí chū bù tóng yì jiàn, tā zǒng huì duōduō de fǎn bó, háo bù liú qíng.

Whenever someone raises a different opinion, he always retorts with a tut-tut, without mercy.

在激烈的辩论中，他咄咄地追问对方，使得对方难以回答。

zài jī liè de biàn lùn zhōng, tā duōduō de zhuī wèn duì fāng, shǐ de duì fāng nán yǐ huí dá.

In the intense debate, he pressed the opponent with tut-tut questions, making it difficult for the opponent to answer.

Related Characters

Component: 出

Component: 口

咄