打搅

• Pinyin: dǎ jiǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 打 = 扌+ 丁 (action verb); 搅 = 扌+ 觉 (to stir, disturb)

Meaning

To disturb; to bother; to interrupt. A polite verb used when apologizing for taking someone's time or disrupting their activity.

More formal and polite than 打扰, often used in self-deprecating expressions when asking for help or imposing on someone. Common in service contexts and formal correspondence.

Examples

1. 不好意思打搅一下，请问这附近有地铁站吗？ Sorry to bother you — is there a subway station nearby?
2. 打搅您这么长时间，真是过意不去。 I've disturbed you for so long, I really feel bad about it.
3. 他正在专心写代码，别去打搅他了。 He's focused on writing code — don't go disturb him.

Usage Guide

Context: polite, service

Tone: apologetic

Do Say

• 打搅了，请问王经理在吗？(Sorry to bother you — is Manager Wang here?)
• 真不好意思打搅您。(I'm really sorry to disturb you.)

Don't Say

• 我喜欢打搅别人 (打搅 has negative connotations — saying you like to disturb others sounds rude)

Origin & History

Compound of 打 (action verb) + 搅 (to stir, disturb). The combination emphasizes the disruptive nature of the interruption.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal