打滚 (dǎ gǔn) — to roll around (on the ground), to tumble

Definition

A vivid verb meaning to roll or tumble on the ground — often for fun, in play, or in distress (e.g. a child throwing a tantrum). The 把 construction also renders it as a separable verb meaning 'to throw a tantrum' (撒泼打滚).

verb
to roll around (on the ground)to tumble

Examples

  • 打滚。
    Xiǎo gǒu zài dì shàng gāo xìng dì dǎ gǔn.
    The little dog is happily rolling around on the ground.
  • 。
    Tā zài cǎo dì shàng dǎ le yí gè gǔn.
    He rolled once on the grass.
  • 。
    Hái zi zài dì shàng dǎ le jǐ xià gǔn jiù bù kū le.
    The child rolled on the ground a few times and then stopped crying.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

打dǎperform
滚gǔnroll

打 means to perform, and 滚 means to roll, together describing rolling about.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng打dǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

Open 打 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 滾; 滚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
袞
袞gǔn滾gǔn
Same sound today

The traditional form 滾 pairs 水 (water) with 袞, which supplies the pronunciation. The simplified 滚 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical 袞.

Open 滚 →

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