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打卡 (dǎ kǎ) — to clock in or out (at work), to punch in or out; to check in (on social media at a location)

Definition

Modern popular term for 'clocking/punching in' at work and the social-media habit of 'checking in' at a location. Unlike 入住 (checking into a hotel) or 报到 (registering for duty/school), 打卡 is casual and everyday.

verb
to clock in or out (at work)to punch in or outto check in (on social media at a location)

Examples

  • 打卡。
    Xīn yuán gōng měi tiān dōu yào dǎ kǎ.
    New employees have to clock in every day.
  • 。
    Wǒ zài zhè jiā jǐng diǎn dǎ le yí cì kǎ.
    I checked in at this scenic spot once.
  • 打卡。
    Hěn duō rén xǐ huan dào jǐng diǎn dǎ kǎ.
    Many people like to check in at tourist spots.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

打dǎstrike; do
卡kǎcard

The 打 action on a 卡 records clocking in or out, or checking in.

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

卡 is made from 上 (up) and 下 (down), with their horizontal lines fused, showing something squeezed between above and below.

Open 卡 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Travel & TourismWorkplace & Office

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