打球 (dǎ qiú) — to play a ball game (typically using hands/arms) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

打球 is a 离合词 (separable verb): 打球 is the verb, 打了/打了一场/打了一个小时 split the two characters around a measure phrase or duration. The object is 球 used generally for any ball sport — basketball, volleyball, tennis, etc. — not one specific game.

verb

to play a ball game (typically using hands/arms)

Examples

打球。
Wǒ men zhōu mò jīng cháng yì qǐ dǎ qiú.
We often play ball together on weekends.
。
Tā dǎ le yí gè xiǎo shí de qiú.
He played ball for an hour.
，。
Zuó tiān wǒ dǎ le yì chǎng qiú, yíng le.
Yesterday I played a ball game and won.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

打dǎplay or hit

打 means play or hit and 球 means ball, giving the idea of playing a ball game.

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.

扌丁打

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

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.

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

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

求

求qiú球qiú

Same sound today

球 is built from 玉, meaning jade, and 求, which gives the sound.

Appears in

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