道道乏

[Fred0]

This sentence:  给人家多道道乏,  is translated as "I appreciate very much her taking care of my child."  

 

The child has been left with a wet nurse to be raised while the mother is working as a wet-nurse for a family in the city. She writes to her husband to not forget to pay the woman and to tell her...

丫头子那儿别忘了到时候送钱去! 给人家多道道乏。

 

My dictionary say 乏 means "short of, tired" 

 

How is it that 道道乏  comes to mean appreciation?

[Publius]

You know 道歉, right? To say I'm sorry -> to apologize. In the same vein 道乏 means to say 辛苦你了, or in more idiomatic English, to express appreciation.

http://www.zdic.net/c/3/143/314739.htm

[Fred0]

Yes, I can see that. Thank you. 道乏！

[roddy]

Good attempt, but you wouldn't use it in conversation like that. The 道 here means 'to say'. With 道谢 it'd be like saying 

 

A: Here's that thing you wanted.

B: To say thank you

 

You might use it in spoken language, but more likely to be in the context of "I really have to say thank you..."

[Shelley]

5 minutes ago, roddy said:

道谢

to express thanks