tǎo

to discuss

Original meaning: 

manage, govern

Simplified form of . Depicts using speech () and one's hands () to manage or govern. The meaning later shifted to "discuss" and "ask for".

Components
讠 meaning component

  Meaning component

yán

  

speech

is a component form of .

寸 meaning component

  Meaning component

cùn

  

(hand), inch

Depicts a hand.

Evolution

讨 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
讨 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
讨 Traditional script Modern

Traditional script

Modern
讨 Simplified script Modern

Simplified script

Modern
Definitions

() 

tǎo

to discuss; ask for, beg; demand; dun; marry; to invite; to provoke; to demand or ask for; to send armed forces to suppress; to denounce or condemn; to marry (a woman); to discuss or study

Most common words with 讨
Freq.
Word
Meaning

讨厌

to dislike

讨论

to discuss

探讨

to probe

to invite

研讨会

seminar