打雷

• Pinyin: dǎ léi
• Hanzi breakdown: 打 = 扌(hand) + 丁 (phonetic); 雷 = 雨 (rain) + 田 (field)

Meaning

To thunder. Describes the natural phenomenon of thunder occurring during a storm.

A verb-object compound where 打 means to strike and 雷 means thunder. Used to describe thunderstorms and weather. Can also be used informally to describe being shocked or startled (像打雷一样). Often paired with 下雨 (rain) and 闪电 (lightning).

Examples

1. 外面正在打雷，小狗吓得躲到了桌子下面。 It's thundering outside and the puppy is so scared it hid under the table.
2. 天气预报说今天下午可能会打雷下雨。 The weather forecast says it might thunder and rain this afternoon.
3. 夏天打雷的时候不要站在大树下面。 Don't stand under a big tree when it's thundering in summer.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 昨天晚上打雷了，你听到了吗？(It thundered last night — did you hear it?)
• 打雷的时候最好待在室内。(It's best to stay indoors when it's thundering.)

Don't Say

• 说'打了一个雷'来描述持续的雷声 (Don't say 打了一个雷 for continuous thunder — that implies a single clap; use 一直在打雷 for ongoing thunder)

Origin & History

打 (strike) + 雷 (thunder) — literally 'strike thunder,' describing the booming sound of thunder as if something is being struck.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal