答话

答話

dáhuà

verb #41,205

Meanings

1 to reply
2 to answer
3 to respond when spoken to

Characters

Examples

我叫了他半天，他都不答话。

Wǒ jiào le tā bàntiān, tā dōu bù dáhuà.

I called him for ages but he wouldn't answer.

她低着头，不肯答话。

Tā dī zhe tóu, bù kěn dáhuà.

She kept her head down and refused to reply.

Tips

usage

答话 is most often used in the negative — 不答话 ('won't answer / wouldn't reply'). It carries the flavor of someone deliberately staying silent, not just failing to hear. Compare 回答 (huídá, the neutral 'to answer').

Stroke Order

答 dá

话 huà