打

Etymology & Components

The Chinese character 打 (dǎ) is composed of two parts: the radical 扌(shǒu), which represents the hand, and the phonetic component 戈 (gē), which represents a weapon. The original meaning of 打 is "to strike" or "to hit" with a weapon. Over time, the meaning of 打 has expanded to include other forms of physical contact, such as punching, kicking, and slapping. It can also be used figuratively to mean "to criticize" or "to scold".The character 打 is first attested in oracle bone script, the earliest known form of Chinese writing. In oracle bone script, 打 is depicted as a hand holding a weapon. The weapon is typically a spear or a knife. In later forms of Chinese writing, the weapon component of 打 is simplified to a single stroke.The character 打 is used in a wide variety of Chinese words and phrases. Some common examples include:- 打架 (dǎjià): to fight- 打球 (dǎqiú): to play ball- 打电话 (dǎdiànhuà): to make a phone call- 打工 (dǎgōng): to work- 打扫 (dǎsǎo): to clean打 is a versatile character that can be used to express a variety of meanings. It is an important character for HSK learners to master.