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搭讪 (dā shàn) — to strike up a conversation (especially with a stranger, often with romantic intent); to give an evasive or non-committal reply

Definition

Literally 'latch on + awkward,' 搭讪 (dāshàn) means to chat someone up — usually a stranger, often with romantic intent. The less common sense is to give an evasive, non-committal reply to avoid awkwardness.

verb
to strike up a conversation (especially with a stranger, often with romantic intent)to give an evasive or non-committal reply

Examples

  • ，搭讪。
    Zài jiǔ bā lǐ, tā zhǔ dòng dā shàn le yí gè nǚ hái.
    In the bar, he proactively struck up a conversation with a girl.
  • ，搭讪。
    Bèi wèn dào nà ge wèn tí shí, tā dā shàn le jǐ jù.
    When asked that question, he gave a few evasive replies.
  • ，搭讪。
    Tā hài xiū, bù gǎn hé bié rén dā shàn.
    He is shy and doesn't dare to strike up conversations with others.

Origin

Single-morpheme word
构词法gòucífǎ
联绵liánmiánBound pair

Two characters that only ever appear together, spelling one ancient two-syllable word.

搭dā
讪shàn

搭 and 讪 carry no separate meanings here; together they form the act of talking to someone.

Sound-only characters

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
荅
荅dá搭dā
Same sound today

搭 is built from 扌, a hand, and 荅, which gives the sound. The hand part points to actions done with the hand.

Open 搭 →

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 訕; 讪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
山
山shān訕shàn
Same sound today

The traditional form 訕 pairs 言 (speech) with 山 (shān) as a sound part; the simplified 讪 is a shorthand.

Appears in
Communication & Speech

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