Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
讨(討)tǎo(tao3)
The character 讨 (tǎo) primarily means 'to ask for' or 'to demand.' It can also imply a sense of provoking or inviting discussion. This character is often used in contexts involving negotiation, discussion, or even in a more formal setting where demands or requests are made.
Strokes5Radical讠Frequency#3576DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, discussing marriage (讨老婆, tǎo lǎopó) involves formal negotiations between families, emphasizing the importance of family and social connections in marital arrangements.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person at a marketplace (the top part, 口, resembles a mouth) demanding a better price for something. They '讨' (tǎo) the seller to lower the price, provoking a discussion. The sound 'tǎo' can be remembered as 'talk' which is what they are doing.
Meanings of 讨
tǎo(tao3)
1to invite
2to provoke
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 讨
讨Simplified
討Traditional
5Strokes
讠Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3576Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedBCT✓CEFRC2
Podcast: 讨
Podcast: 讨
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 讨
Quick Contrast
讨 (tǎo) vs 要 (yào) — use 讨 when emphasizing a demand or request, while 要 is more general for 'to want' or 'to need'.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person at a marketplace (the top part, 口, resembles a mouth) demanding a better price for something. They '讨' (tǎo) the seller to lower the price, provoking a discussion. The sound 'tǎo' can be remembered as 'talk' which is what they are doing.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 讨 with 讨厌 (tǎo yàn), which means 'to dislike.' The tone is crucial; the third tone in 'tǎo' can easily be mispronounced, leading to misunderstandings. It’s often used in informal contexts but can also appear in formal settings.
HSK Study Tips
Though 讨 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it connects well with other verbs regarding demands and discussions found in HSK 4. Focus on its usage with related terms like 要 (yào) meaning 'to want' or 聊 (liáo) meaning 'to chat.'
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, discussing marriage (讨老婆, tǎo lǎopó) involves formal negotiations between families, emphasizing the importance of family and social connections in marital arrangements.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 讨 with similar-sounding characters, like 逃 (táo, to escape) or 讨厌 (tǎo yàn, to dislike). For example, saying '我讨他' (wǒ tǎo tā) instead of '我讨厌他' (wǒ tǎo yàn tā) can change the meaning significantly.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 讨
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 讨 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 讨 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 讨
讨 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
A full-scale debate is under way on what ails the industry.
10
这可不是头脑一热作出的决定。我们事先仔细地讨论过。
zhè kě bù shì tóu nǎo yī rè zuò chū de jué dìng。 。 wǒ mén shì xiān zī xì dì tǎo lùn。
It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. We discussed it in detail beforehand.
Cultural Notes for 讨
💡Did you know?
In ancient China, '讨' was often used in formal contexts, such as in diplomacy, where leaders would 'ask' for peace or alliances rather than 'demand' them. This reflects the importance of relationships in Chinese culture.
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese culture, discussing marriage (讨老婆, tǎo lǎopó) involves formal negotiations between families, emphasizing the importance of family and social connections in marital arrangements.
📜Proverb
'有求必应' (yǒu qiú bì yìng) means 'Where there is a request, there is a response.' This aligns with the meaning of '讨', highlighting the expectation of reciprocity in Chinese social interactions.
Word Family of 讨
Words Containing This Character20
讨厌tǎoyànto dislike討厭
讨论tǎolùnto discuss討論
探讨tàntǎoto probe探討
讨tǎoto invite討
研讨会seminar研討會
讨好tǎohǎoto get the desired outcome討好
讨价还价tǎojiàhuánjiàto haggle over price討價還價
检讨jiǎntǎoreview檢討
商讨shāngtǎoto discuss商討
研讨yántǎodiscussion研討
乞讨qǐtǎoto beg乞討
讨论会symposium討論會
讨伐to suppress by armed force討伐
声讨to denounce聲討
讨债to demand repayment討債
自讨苦吃to ask for trouble (idiom)自討苦吃
讨教to consult討教
讨饭to beg討飯
征讨to go on a punitive expedition征討
讨还to recover討還
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 讨厌 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 讨
Yes, 讨 (tǎo) can be used in a positive context, such as when inviting someone to an event or gathering. For example, '我讨你来参加我的生日派对' (wǒ tǎo nǐ lái cān jiā wǒ de shēngrì pàiduì) means 'I invite you to attend my birthday party'. However, its usage often depends on the surrounding words and the overall tone of the conversation.
While both 讨 (tǎo) and 要 (yào) can convey the idea of asking for something, 讨 often has a more formal or demanding connotation, such as requesting something in a challenging way. In contrast, 要 is more commonly used for general requests or desires. Depending on the context, choosing the right word can significantly alter the meaning of your sentence.
讨 (tǎo) has several meanings in Chinese, including 'to invite', 'to provoke', 'to demand or ask for', and 'to denounce or condemn'. It can also refer to sending armed forces to suppress something or, in a more colloquial context, to marry a woman. Understanding the context in which it is used is key to grasping its precise meaning.
You can use 讨 (tǎo) in various contexts, such as '讨价还价' (tǎo jià huán jià), which means 'to bargain'. Another example is '讨厌' (tǎo yàn), meaning 'to dislike' or 'to find something annoying'. It's important to pay attention to the words that accompany 讨 to fully understand its intended meaning.
You might encounter phrases like 讨价还价 (tǎo jià huán jià), meaning 'to haggle,' or 讨好 (tǎo hǎo), meaning 'to curry favor.'
Yes, while it is often informal, it can also appear in formal discussions, especially in legal or negotiation contexts.
Yes, it can imply provoking or demanding in a negative sense, such as in 讨厌 (tǎo yàn), meaning 'to dislike.'
