打盹 (dǎ dǔn) — to doze, to take a nap (brief, informal) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A casual verb meaning to doze off briefly — usually unplanned or only for a few minutes, not a real planned nap (睡午觉). Spoken and informal.

verb

to dozeto take a nap (brief, informal)

Examples

，。
Tā gōng zuò tài lèi, zài shā fā shàng dǎ le ge dǔn.
He was too tired from work and dozed off on the sofa for a bit.
，打盹。
Zhōng wǔ xiū xi de shí hou, wǒ xǐ huan dǎ dǔn yí huì r.
During the midday break, I like to take a short nap.
，打盹。
Zuò chē de shí hou, tā bù zhī bù jué jiù dǎ dǔn le.
While riding in the car, he dozed off without realizing it.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

打 'do' plus 盹 'doze' gives the idea of a brief nap.

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.

目屯盹

Meaning part形符xíngfú

目目mùeye

Sound part声符shēngfú

屯

屯tún盹dǔn

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

盹 has 目 (eye) on the left and 屯 on the right, with 屯 giving the sound.

Appears in

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