打雷 (dǎ léi) — to thunder (of weather)

Definition

打雷 is the verb phrase 'to thunder' used for weather — a natural phenomenon. 雷 on its own names the noun 'thunder'.

verb

to thunder (of weather)

打雷，。
Wài miàn zài dǎ léi, wǒ men bié chū qù le.
It's thundering outside, let's not go out.
。
Zuó tiān yè lǐ dǎ le yī shēng léi.
There was a clap of thunder last night.
打雷。
Tiān qì yù bào shuō jīn tiān huì dǎ léi.
The weather forecast says it will thunder today.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

打dǎmake or emit

The first part means make or emit, and the second means thunder; together they mean thunder rolls.

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

雨雨yǔrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

畾

畾léi雷léi

Same sound today

The top 雨 (rain) points to the meaning, and the bottom 畾 gives the sound.

Appears in