v.
To strike or hit with the hand. To play a game, make a call, type, light (fire), fetch — the all-purpose "do" verb for nearly every action. A hand (扌) driving a nail (丁) with a sharp blow.
打
prep.
from; since (indicating point of origin or time)
Common Usage & Traps
- 打电话 — to make a phone call
- 打篮球 — to play basketball
- 打人 — to hit someone
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打一电话打个电话If you use 一, you need a measure word: 个. 打电话 alone needs no measure word.
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打给他电话给他打电话Chinese usually puts 给 + person before the verb phrase: 给他打电话. 打给他电话 sounds scrambled.
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电话不能打电话电话不能打电话 is already the topic. Adding 打电话 doubles the object.
Do you need a measure word in 打电话?
No for general 打电话; if you mean one quick call, 打个电话 is the everyday choice.
打电话 is a fixed phrase, so it does not need 个. But 电话 is countable, so 打个电话 and 打一个电话 are fine. Avoid 打一电话 because 一 needs a measure word.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| General call | 打电话 | 打一电话 |
| One quick call | 打个电话 | 打一电话 |
| Counted call | 打一个电话 | 打一电话 |
How can 打 mean both 'hit' and 'play'?
打 changes meaning with the noun after it: 打人 is hit, 打篮球 is play.
Chinese does not need a separate verb for every English action. The noun tells you what 打 means. 打人 is physical contact; 打篮球 is a sports phrase. Learn the whole pair as one chunk.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| With people | 打人 (hit someone) | 打人 meaning play someone |
| With ball games | 打篮球 (play basketball) | 打篮球 meaning hit basketball |
| With phone | 打电话 (make a call) | 打电话 meaning hit phone |
Why does 电话不能打 drop the usual 打电话?
电话 becomes the topic, so the fixed phrase 打电话 splits into 电话 + 不能 + 打.
打电话 is a fixed phrase. When you want 电话 as the topic, it moves to the front. 不能 stays before the verb 打. You can also say 不能打电话, with almost the same meaning. “超市非常小，电脑没脑子，电话不能打。” (The supermarket is very small, computers have no brain, and the phone can't make calls.) ── [《电脑没脑子》](/read/computers-have-no-brains#s2)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Topic focus | 电话不能打 | 电话不能打电话 |
| Neutral order | 不能打电话 | 不能电话打 |
| Basic phrase | 打电话 | 打不能电话 |
Appears in Stories 2 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
In this dialogue, two people chat while waiting outside a cinema. You'll hear common phrases for talking about hobbies, sports, and movie preferences.
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Ａ：你喜欢踢足球和 打 篮球吗？
This playful poem will make you smile as you explore how Chinese words like 'computer' and 'phone' can be funnier than they seem. Get ready to enjoy simple HSK 1 vocabulary and a twist of logic!
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超市非常小，电脑没脑子，电话不能 打 。
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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