打牌

• Pinyin: dǎ pái
• Hanzi breakdown: 打 = 扌(hand) + 丁 (nail); 牌 = 片 (slice) + 卑 (low/humble)

Meaning

To play cards; to play mahjong. Engaging in card or tile games.

A common leisure activity in Chinese culture, often done with friends and family. Includes playing poker, mahjong, and other card/tile games. Can be purely recreational or involve gambling. Often associated with social gatherings.

Examples

1. 老人们退休后最大的爱好就是聚在一起打牌聊天。 After retirement, the elderly's favorite pastime is gathering together to play cards and chat.
2. 过年的时候，亲戚们总是熬夜打牌到凌晨。 During Chinese New Year, relatives always stay up until late playing cards.
3. 他沉迷打牌输了不少钱，家人很担心。 He became addicted to card games and lost a lot of money — his family is very worried.

Usage Guide

Context: leisure, social

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 周末有空来我家打牌吧。(Come to my place to play cards this weekend if you're free.)
• 他们打牌从来不赌钱，就是图个乐。(They never gamble when playing cards — it's just for fun.)

Don't Say

• 打牌可能暗指赌博，在某些场合要注意用词 (打牌 can imply gambling — be careful with wording in certain contexts)

Origin & History

From 打 (to play/hit) and 牌 (cards/tiles), literally 'to play cards.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal