打

• Pinyin: dǎ
• Hanzi breakdown: 打 = 扌 (hand) + 丁 (phonetic) — to strike with the hand

Meaning

To hit; to play; to make. A versatile verb with many meanings depending on the object.

One of the most versatile verbs in Chinese. Core meanings include: to hit (打人, hit someone), to play sports (打球, play ball), to make a phone call (打电话), to take a taxi (打车), to type (打字), and to open (打开). The specific meaning depends entirely on what follows.

Examples

1. 他在打球。 He's playing ball.
2. 别打我！ Don't hit me!
3. 你会打字吗？ Can you type?

Usage Guide

Context: sports, everyday, communication

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们去打篮球吧。(Let's go play basketball.)
• 他在打字。(He's typing.)

Don't Say

• 打足球 for playing football (Football uses 踢 — say 踢足球, not 打足球)

Origin & History

Composed of 扌 (hand radical) and 丁 (nail, phonetic). The hand radical indicates an action performed with the hand — originally 'to strike' or 'to hit'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal