‘叨叨’ (dāo dāo) is a reduplicated verb meaning to chatter or talk repeatedly, often in a nagging, affectionate, or mildly annoying way. Though the character 叨 originally means 'to nibble' or 'to partake (in a humble sense)', in this reduplicated form it has evolved purely as an onomatopoeic and expressive term for light, persistent talking — like the gentle, repetitive sound of someone speaking without pause. It’s informal and commonly used in spoken Mandarin, especially when describing casual, familiar, or habitual speech.

The word carries no strong negative connotation by itself; context determines whether the ‘chattering’ is endearing (e.g., a grandmother’s loving reminders) or slightly tiresome (e.g., a colleague rehashing old points). It’s rarely used in formal writing and almost never appears as a noun — always functioning as a verb, often with aspect particles like 了 or 着, or as a complement after verbs like 爱, 喜欢, or 总是.