叨 dāo talkative
How to remember 叨: 口 mouth + 刀 knife = talkative. The cheese seller's mouth never stops while her knife slices, and every customer walks off with her life story, she is that talkative.
Component breakdown
叨 = 口 mouth + 刀 knife
- 口 mouth
- 刀 knife
The cheese seller's mouth never stops while her knife slices, and every customer walks off with her life story, she is that talkative.
How it is used
- The 'chatter on' character - 唠叨 (láodao) to nag/prattle, 絮叨 (xùdao) to go on and on.
- Separate reading tāo in the polite set phrase 叨扰 (tāorǎo), 'sorry to trouble you' / to impose on someone's hospitality.
- So dāo = tiresome talking; tāo = humble 'to trouble you'.