讨论

• Pinyin: tǎo lùn
• Hanzi breakdown: 讨 = 讠(speech) + 寸 (inch) — to weigh words carefully; 论 = 讠(speech) + 仑 (logical order)

Meaning

To discuss; to talk over. To exchange ideas and opinions about a topic.

Used in both formal and informal contexts. Functions as both a verb (讨论问题 discuss a problem) and a noun (一个讨论 a discussion). Common in school, workplace, and everyday conversations. Often followed directly by the topic or introduced with 关于 (about).

Examples

1. 我们一起讨论这个问题吧。 Let's discuss this problem together.
2. 老师让同学们分组讨论。 The teacher asked the students to discuss in groups.
3. 他们在讨论明天的计划。 They are discussing tomorrow's plan.

Usage Guide

Context: school, work, meetings, daily life

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们讨论一下这件事吧。(Let's discuss this matter.)
• 这个话题值得讨论。(This topic is worth discussing.)

Don't Say

• 我自己讨论了一下 (Don't say you discussed with yourself — 讨论 implies multiple participants; use 想了想 or 考虑了 for thinking alone)

Origin & History

讨 (tǎo, to investigate/seek) + 论 (lùn, to discuss/reason). The combination conveys the act of investigating and reasoning through a topic together.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal