打开

• Pinyin: dǎ kāi
• Hanzi breakdown: 打 (hit, do) + 开 (open) — to cause to open by action

Meaning

To open; to turn on. Used for opening doors, books, containers, or turning on devices.

A very versatile resultative verb compound. Used for physically opening things: 打开门 (open the door), 打开书 (open a book), 打开窗户 (open the window). Also used for turning on electronics: 打开电视 (turn on the TV), 打开灯 (turn on the light). The 开 indicates the result of the 打 action.

Examples

1. 请打开书。 Please open your book.
2. 他打开了门。 He opened the door.
3. 你能打开窗户吗？ Can you open the window?

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, classroom

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请打开电视。(Please turn on the TV.)
• 打开看看里面有什么。(Open it and see what's inside.)

Don't Say

• 打开关灯 mixing open and close (打开 means to open or turn on — use 关 to close or turn off)

Origin & History

Compound of 打 (to do, to strike) and 开 (to open). A resultative verb where 打 is the action and 开 is the result — the action causes something to open.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal