回答
to answer; to reply
HSK level
- Pinyin
- huídá
- Part of speech
- verb
- Level
- HSK 3
- Strokes
- 18
- Register
- neutral
Stroke order for 回答
回答 is written with 18 strokes (回: 6, 答: 12). The animation replays automatically.
What does 回答 mean?
回答 (huídá) is a verb meaning 'to answer' a question — specifically responding to a query, exam item, or someone seeking information.
Literally 'return-respond,' it captures the back-and-forth nature of Q&A. It can also be used as a noun ('an answer / response'). Two distinctions matter for English speakers: first, 回答 is for answering QUESTIONS, not answering the phone (that's 接电话) or the door (开门); second, distinguish from 回 alone ('to return / reply to a message').
You 回答问题 (answer a question), 回复邮件 (reply to an email), and 接电话 (answer the phone). 回答 takes a direct object — 回答问题, 回答老师 (answer the teacher) — and is often paired with 不出来 (huídá bù chūlái 'can't answer') to express being stumped.
Character by character
Memory hook: 回 (return) + 答 (respond) — return a response to the asker.
Example sentences
请回答我的问题。
Qǐng huídá wǒ de wèntí.
Please answer my question.
neutral
他没有回答。
Tā méiyǒu huídá.
He didn't answer.
neutral
这个问题太难，我回答不出来。
Zhège wèntí tài nán, wǒ huídá bù chūlái.
This question is too hard, I can't answer it.
spoken
老师让我回答了三个问题。
Lǎoshī ràng wǒ huídále sān ge wèntí.
The teacher had me answer three questions.
neutral
Common phrases with 回答
Synonyms
回复 is 'to reply / respond' — used for messages, emails, letters, official correspondence. 回答 is for questions. You 回复邮件 (reply to an email) but 回答问题 (answer a question). 回复 is more formal/written; 回答 more interactive.
答 alone is the short, written form often seen in exams ('Q & A' → 问答). In speech you almost always use 回答 — saying just 答 in conversation sounds clipped. 答 also appears in compounds: 答应 (to agree), 答案 (answer key).
回应 is 'to respond / react' more broadly — to comments, criticism, public statements. 回答 is specifically for questions. A politician 回应 critics but 回答 reporters' questions.
Don't confuse 回答 with
回 alone means 'to return / go back' (回家 'go home,' 回信 'reply to a letter'). 回答 is specifically answering questions. Don't shorten 回答 to just 回 in question-answering contexts.
Same 答 character, but 答应 (note: 答 here is pronounced dā, not dá) means 'to agree / promise' (我答应你 'I promise you'). Completely different from 回答 'to answer.'
FAQ
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