打基础 (dǎ jī chǔ) — to lay the foundation (figurative, for learning, career, etc.); to do the spadework

Definition

Separable verb (离合词): 打 + 基础 means 'to lay the foundation' for future work or study — usually in the abstract sense of preparation, not building. Often inserts 了/过 or extends as 打…基础.

verb
to lay the foundation (figurative, for learning, career, etc.)to do the spadework

Examples

  • 打基础，。
    Xué yǔ yán yào xiān dǎ jī chǔ, bǎ yǔ fǎ xué hǎo.
    When learning a language, you first need to lay the foundation and study grammar well.
  • ，。
    Tā dǎ le sān nián jī chǔ, zhōng yú chéng gōng le.
    He laid the foundation for three years and finally succeeded.
  • 打基础，。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù xū yào xiān dǎ jī chǔ, zài tán fā zhǎn.
    This project needs to lay the foundation first, then talk about development.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

打dǎlay
基础foundation
基jībase础chǔfoundation stone
联合Side by side

打 means lay and 基础 means foundation; the word describes laying a foundation.

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 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
其
其qí基jī
Same sound today

The lower 土 means earth, and the upper 其 gives the sound; together they form the idea of a foundation of earth.

Open 基 →

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 礎; 础 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
石石shístone
Sound part声符shēngfú
楚
楚chǔ礎chǔ
Same sound today

The traditional form 礎 pairs 石, meaning stone, with 楚 as a sound part, to write a stone base; the simplified 础 is a later shorthand.

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